My Jane and I
by Stephen McGarrett 5-0
Summary: A Fanfiction based on the tragic episode "Beautiful Screamer". The thoughts and events leading up to and encompassing the murder. Danny couldn't believe it. He had just seen her that afternoon; yet now she was dead. When crisis hits one of Five-O's own, can the team help him brave this storm? Will they cling to God and each other, or stand alone to face this new threat in solitude?
1. The Day After the Murder

Okay, here I am again. ;) So this is mainly a fanfiction based off a few scenes of the episode, "Beautiful Screamer" (I seriously extended them though!). But, I did cut everything into chapters to make it much easier to read. I decided to plunge deeper into the characters' emotions and thoughts, and add a few extra ideas of my own. I gave special attention to Steve comforting Danny a lot too... :) However, there is no slash in this story, no matter **_how_** hard you look for it. Just really amazing friendships. :D

I would like to dedicate this story to **Book 'em Again** , for her kind and helpful review of my other more outlandish Five-O fanfiction, " _I Didn't Want To."_ Thank you so much for the support! It really encouraged me. I would also like to dedicate this fiction to **TheKingReigns.** They have always stood by me and supported me in all my writings. Thank you so very much, both of you. ;)

Well, that's all. I hope all of you have as much enjoyment reading this story, as I did making it.

 _Aloha,_

~StephenMcGarrett 5-0

 ** _My Jane and I_**

 _A Hawaii 5-O Fanfiction  
_

 _CHAPTER 1_

The bright, warm rays of the afternoon sun poured into Stephen McGarrett's large office, filling it with golden light. The white, wispy, transparent clouds listlessly drifted through the ocean-blue sky. However, these thin white strands were few and far between in the heavens, so the sun's heat was not restrained in any way.

Time had passed by so quickly; the dawn seemed to have come too soon. It was only but ten hours before when the Five-O team had bid each other goodnight; though their expressions were tense and unsettled. The murder of that young woman, Linda Marsh, was still on all of their minds. They had found her dead a few days ago, strangled in a tennis court. She was going to attend a wedding rehearsal that day after her tennis lesson, but she never got the chance. Furthermore, the wedding rehearsal was for one of Danny's fiancée's friends, and the whole affair had left everyone badly shaken up; not to mention putting a damper on what was meant to be a festive occasion.

There was not much known about the murder yet. The most reliable facts so far were that Linda was not assaulted in any way, and it was safe to guess that her killer had been a man. But there was something particularly disturbing about this homicide… especially what the police had found written on the dead woman's legs. It brought the same question into all of their anxious and perturbed minds. Was this the beginning of a serial killing? What was the poem written in lip-stick on Lind Marsh's legs all about? Was this sick person taunting them, or giving them a disguised clue as to who his next victim would be?

 _And every woe a tear can claim, except an erring sisters' shame._

 _Sisters'…_ That was the one thing about it that was _really_ bothering them. Even if none of the Five-O team really wanted to admit it, they all knew in their hearts that there was going to be another killing. The apostrophe after the _s_ could not mean any other thing.

Now, Danny, Chin, Kono, and Steve were back at Five-O headquarters, in McGarrett's office; nothing had really changed though. There wasn't any new evidence, they were still waiting for the lab results from the crime scene, and the only other things they had to go on were mere assumptions. Nevertheless, they didn't give way to discouragement. As long as there was still breath in each and every one of them, there was a chance that the crime could be solved. The Five-O team had come across even more complicated cases than this one; cases that had begun with no evidence at all. Yet even then, they had still been able to solve the crime. Now, it was time to put their brilliant detective skills to the test yet again.

Stephen McGarrett was talking at the moment, his keen and intense gaze switching from one member of his team to the other. He paced back and forth fervidly as he tried to piece together what little facts they did have in his mind. The tone and pitch of his voice changed various times as he threw different theories through the room's apprehensive air. But even though Steve tried with passionate verve to bring to life the real crime, the truth was just not falling into his grasp. Still nonetheless, McGarrett pursued the insubstantial evidence with ruthless vigor. If one theory didn't work, he would try another, and another, _and another!_ The head of Five-O had promised protection and justice to all of the citizens of Hawaii, and he meant to keep that promise. Stephen McGarrett was prepared to give his all to this case, as he had for ever other one he had dealt with. The determined detective would not give up, until he had nothing left to give.

Chin Ho Kelly sat in a broad chair in the corner, a pipe held firmly between his lips. Occasionally, he would let out a puff of smoke or add a comment, but besides that, he was listening intently. His expression although relaxed, was alert.

Kono Kalakua leaned against Chin's chair in a rather casual way, his deep brown eyes following the repeated path of his boss back and forth across the well-groomed carpet. However, even though the Hawaiian man was listening quietly, the distant look in his features showed that he was musing upon his own thoughts. But, for the most part, he too was paying close attention.

Daniel Williams on the other hand, who sat nearest to one of tall open windows, didn't exactly seem in touch with reality. His unmoving eye-lids were closed over his usually lively eyes, and his head was tilted back against his chair. His face, which had been red with color the day before, was now a cold and pasty shade of white. The balmy wind silently wafted in through the window, and gently brushed through the young man's blonde hair, shifting some of its curls.

This kind of behavior was definitely unlike Danny, but then again he did have a somewhat plausible excuse. Last night, the youngest member of Five-O hadn't been able to sleep at all because of his restless and troubled spirit. Linda's murder had so greatly disturbed him that he could not even find the peace to slumber. And even when he did dose off, his dreams were filled with grotesque imagery that awoke him in a cold sweat. It did not help either to wake alone in the darkness with a bleak, sallow moon peering in through the window. The atmosphere itself brought a new sense of dread.

But here in McGarrett's office, the temperate Hawaiian sun that bathed the room felt so soothing…. And the swaying of the nearby palm trees outside sounded like a melodic, calming lullaby in and of themselves. It was so peaceful, not to mention comfortable. Danny felt his head lolling to the side, and drowsiness gently pulling him away from the light. He knew he had to stay awake and keep focused on what was going on, but he just couldn't seem to make his eyelids cooperate with him. They kept closing time after time, and it was becoming increasingly harder to get them open again. No matter how much he wanted to pull away from the sweet world of sleep, Danny was fighting a losing battle. His body was literally pleading with him to give in to the warm sensation of slumber, and how could he refuse? The lure was too strong and too persuasive.

Steve was saying something and by his heated tone, it must have been important. Maybe even _very_ important. Danny should have been listening to whatever it was, but he wasn't. By now, he was just over the threshold of unconsciousness and his perceptions had grown very dim. An extremely loud noise was the only thing that was going to wake him now. Danny was sinking still deeper into his slumber when Steve suddenly gripped his chair and shouted,

"One single particle from an ordinary house-hold glove! That's all we have. _That's all!"_ Stephen McGarrett's eyes were now hot with rage and disgust, and they searched about the room in an almost wild fashion. "What does that prove?" he paused for a second, just before throwing up his hands in the air and answering his own rhetorical question. "So the murderer wore gloves! No footprints, no fingerprints, no DNA…. Nothing! This sick person is going to strike again, at another helpless female victim, and what can we do to stop him?" Steve glared at the wall in silence for a second, a frustrated expression cut deeply into the concerned lines of his face. Chin and Kono could see the pain and fear sweltering in Steve's sapphire eyes, which tossed and turned like oceans of fire. He was _really_ upset.

"You're trying your best, boss," Chin stated soothingly, his small brown eyes filled with empathy for his respected leader. "So are we. What more can you ask of yourself?"

Kono nodded his head in agreement and confirmed seriously, "Chin's right, Steve." His expression then filled with optimism and he shrugged his shoulders before adding, "Maybe when the lab results come in, there will be more incriminating evidence."

Steve didn't even consider the idea. He immediately shook his head in total disagreement, and then ran his fingers through his slick brown hair. "No," he replied grimly, settling down a little. "If this man was smart enough to wear gloves, he's smart enough to cover the rest of his tracks as well." Steve took in a deep breath and wiped the beads of sweat from his weary brow. After he seemed to have calmed fully, he sighed unhappily and said, "We're not dealing with an amateur. That's for sure."

Silence hung heavy in the air for an extended period of time following this declaration, and each man was lost in his own private thoughts. But all too soon, the reticence was broken. Steve's hands worked in and out of weak fists, (as they often did when he was nervous) and the intensity in his expression was heightening; he hadn't vented all of his frustration and worry yet. Finally, he slammed his fist down on Danny's chair and released his rage and disappointment. The young man that occupied it stirred a little, but only turned his head to the other side. The quick movement had been a nuisance to him, but it wasn't enough to rouse him from his dormant state of mind. Danny was still lost in peaceful sleep.

"I believe this killer is so smart," Steve started, the volume of his tone beginning to heighten again and his fingers curling in a death-grip around the leather of Danny's chair. "that he'll be able to carry out another murder before we can catch him. And what if he doesn't leave any evidence at that killing, what then?" The waves of anxiety and discouragement within the seas of McGarrett's eyes were starting to grow tempestuous again; whipping up and down with greater emotion than ever before. "Does he continue to kill, and kill, and kill, until all of Hawaii's streets run red with innocent blood?!"

" _Steve!_ " Chin shouted out suddenly, unable to watch his boss do this to himself. The Chinese man hastily placed his pipe down, got up from his chair, and took McGarrett by his arms. The two males stared into each other's eyes with different, mixed emotions. Steve's were filled with great burdens, sorrow, and exhaustion, and many other feelings that cannot be described. Chin's shone with concern and weariness, yet they also glimmered with a small spark of hope.

"We are going to find this man, boss." the Chinese man avowed, looking straight into his leader's eyes with undying loyalty and perseverance. "You are going to find him with God's help. Remember, you're Steve McGarrett."

Stephen McGarrett's eyes softened with love and reverence when he heard Chin Ho's words, but they also held deep hopelessness and humility. The head of Five-O smiled back at Chin sadly, before turning his face away from his friends and hiding the despondency scarred deep within it.

"That's just a name, Chin," he replied in a low, cheerless murmur. "And I'm just a man. Yes, perhaps God has given me a good brain, but that's all. All my wisdom comes from Him, and Him alone." Steve's dark expression then lightened a little more. He turned back to face his men with admiration, and tried to smile at them as he spoke the next words. But instead, it came out as a lopsided grin. "Also, you all know that I couldn't solve anything without the three of you."

Kono's and Chin's troubled faces filled with joy when they heard this, and some of the stress in the tense atmosphere faded away.

"Thanks, boss," they both replied, smiles replacing tightly pressed lips on their simple yet pleasant features.

Steve's grin lingered for but a moment longer, before it was lost again in the fearful dread that still gripped his throbbing heart. He paced the carpeted floors of his office once more, his brow slanting into an even deeper frown. "I've seen it hundreds of times before, and yet it still doesn't make sense to me how a man could do this to a woman." He whispered gravely, as he slowly shook his head in unsaid abhorrence. A little bit of water was beginning to grow in his fixed eyes, which were darkened by anger and uncertainty. "To kill a helpless female for absolutely no reason;" he continued in a low tone, his face tightening with strict concentration. "Maybe he believes he's justified in what he's doing by motives of his own psychotic brain. He doesn't see how much he's hurting them…" a solitary tear finally found its way down Steve's cheek and his jaw stiffened. "He can only feel his pain and hurt. He doesn't care if they scream and beg for mercy. He only cares about gratifying his selfish, depraved state of mind…" This was too unendurable for Steve's self-control now and he let loose yet another time, bringing his fist down hard upon his desk. " _Oh God, why!?"_ he exclaimed in utter misery and indignation.

Danny's eyes suddenly flew open when he heard Steve's anguish-filled cry, and he let out a small gasp before jerking up sharply in his chair. His heart was thudding fast against his chest, and a small tremor of surprise and shock went through his frame before he finally realized what was going on. The severity of Steve's voice had violently torn the young man from his much-needed rest, and had startled him greatly.

The office was quiet for a while longer, and Danny's racing heart gradually began to beat regularly again. His anxious azure eyes then darted all around the room in a quick attempt to find the cause of Steve's distress. When he came to the conclusion that there was no such thing, Danny looked back at the Five-O team with puzzlement and bleariness.

Even though the environment of the room was still uptight, Chin could not help but let out an amused chuckle when Danny turned to look at him with wide, hazy, dilating, eyes. He was quite a humorous sight at the time; it was good to find some comic relief after the very serious conversation that had been leaping back and forth against the walls. The Chinese man's round belly shook a little with unbidden laughter, and he stared back at Danny with a cheery grin.

"Pleasant dreams?" he asked, picking up his pipe and placing it in his mouth again.

Danny's only response at first was to blink. He was still rather groggy about what had happened, and he was still trying to get back into his soberness. The last thing he could remember was that they had been talking about the murder, and trying to find out a not yet established pattern for the potential serial killings. Steve had been getting passionate about how cruel the killing was, when Danny had dozed off. The sun, the palm trees, the wind… all lulling him to sleep. Danny's eyes filled with slight bewilderment and he scratched the back of his neck. Had he really fallen asleep? How long _had_ he been asleep? Danny finally managed to get things back together (though in an unhurried fashion), and opened his mouth to offer a reasonable explanation to Chin and the rest of the team. But before the words even left his mouth, Kono shook his head and interjected,

"No, he probably had a nightmare. Did you see the way he nearly leapt out of his chair?" The big Hawaiian's eyes filled with playful teasing; he let out a little entertained snort and grinned at the young man still gripping his seat with white knuckles. But when Kono observed Danny more carefully, a small amount of worry skated across his joyful irises. The youngest member of Five-O looked a bit nervous, incredibly drained, and somewhat sick. Kono's teasing expression progressively transformed into one of a troubled friend, and he questioned considerately, "What's the matter, Danny? You don't look so good."

Danny felt his cheeks blush red with embarrassment after the mild tease he had received from Kono. Perhaps he deserved it… It was wrong for him to have fallen asleep. At first, he bowed his face in lowly shame and placed his forehead in his hand. The air was hushed for a long while during and following this motion, but even then, Danny could still feel the concerned and perhaps compassionate stares from his colleagues upon him. Finally, the blonde raised his face from his palm and looked at all of his team-mates with earnestly apologetic eyes. "I'm really sorry about that," he stated with sincere repentance, his voice slightly hoarse and gruff from his slumber. "I wasn't able to get a good sleep last night…"

Steve watched Danny carefully as he spoke, and he could see the dark lines of fatigue beneath his friend's golden lashes. They alone were strong evidence for his confession. He too, like the rest of them, had lost needed sleep over this horrible presumed prelude to a series of serial killings. Steve couldn't say that he blamed him. His heart was also heavy with the growing fear of what was soon to come. It gnawed at him every waking moment, and haunted him in every hour of the dark of the night. Indeed, it was almost as if they were waiting here until the terrible news came upon them… _waiting_ for another corpse to drop at their feet. And Steve despised that _waiting_ , _unknowing_ feeling. He hated that he couldn't do anything to prevent another life from being taken from the world. He hated that he couldn't protect one of _his people_ from the hideous fate that would soon befall them. Yes, perhaps some people would say that the Hawaiian people were not Stephen McGarrett's true people. The color of their skin was different from his, and the very blood that flowed in each of their veins was diverse. But the color a man's skin does not dictate his convictions and beliefs. McGarrett knew that better than anyone else. He truly loved and cared about these people, and called them his own despite the fact that they did not share the same skin color. Every Hawaiian that died was a knife into McGarrett's heart; wasted potential that could have been used in God's plan. It killed him inside when it happened, and he absolutely loathed it.

The fury and hurt burned in Steve's soul again as he pondered these ideas, but he would not let the compelling emotions of his heart find their way onto his face. He only nodded sympathetically, and rested a hand on Danny's arm. "No worries, Danno," he answered in a relaxed tone, making sure to squeeze the younger man's shoulder to reassure him of his understanding. Great kindness and love then filled those dark blue crystals that had seen so much death, pain, and grief. "I'll ask Jenny to bring in a nice cup of hot coffee for you." Steve said caringly, allowing his palm to linger upon Danny's shoulder for a little while longer. "It should help a great deal."

Danny felt the taut muscles in his shoulders loosen up a bit, and some of the weighty load was taken off his mind. He then turned to gaze up into Steve's face; he could see the pity and unsaid knowledge clearly engraved in the expressive lines of his leader's features. Reverence and great sorrow for his dearly-loved boss suddenly burned in Danny's eyes and he thought to himself bleakly, _Sometimes it looks as if the whole world has fallen upon his shoulders…_

Danny tried to smile back up at Steve, as if endeavoring to lift his fraught mood. McGarrett smiled back at him gratefully, but inwardly, he scolded himself for showing such emotions to his friend. Danny already had enough to deal with; why encumber him with other burdens that were not his to carry? Thereafter, Steve made sure to hide the rest of his feelings, as well as vow to himself that he would not allow his eyes to betray him again.

After Danny was silently assured by Steve that he was fine, the young cop turned away from his boss, breathed out a deep sigh, and readily nodded his consent. His usual seriousness and alertness were slowly but steadily returning to his face. "Yeah. I could definitely use a cup of coffee right now." He replied, rubbing his temples.

Steve's eyes filled with deeper concern for a moment as he watched Danny's expression darken with weariness and discouragement again. It was plainly apparent that he was trying to hide his doubts and fears, though unsuccessfully. McGarrett then remembered his own thoughts to himself only but a few seconds ago. _How many times have I also concealed my feelings?_ Steve wondered to himself grimly. Danny was picking up on a lot of the habits of his leader, and it seemed as if he was beginning to put them into practice. Steve was flattered by this fact, but it also bothered him a bit. There were some aspects of himself that he didn't want Danny to imitate.

For a brief second, the head of Five-O began consider if this case was too much for the man that sat before him. Danny was still young; he had not yet seen and experienced the entire #!*% of crime. There were still many things he hadn't heard of or looked upon, and Steve wished he would never have to either. Certain things haunted a cop… _forever._

There was also another reason for these somber considerations though. The murdered woman, Linda Marsh, was a close friend to Danny's fiancée, Jane Michaels. He had actually _known_ her. Perhaps this was getting a little too personal…

In another second, Steve opened his mouth to suggest that Danny should go home and get some rest. But before anything came out, his smart mind already knew it would do no good. Danny was a determined man, and he loved the people who lived in Hawaii, just as Steve did. Also, the deceased was his girlfriend's best and closest friend. Would Danny really just back away from the case while justice was not yet served, just because it irked him a little? _No._ That wasn't like Danny at all. He would remain with the team until the case had been solved. Steve knew this and he immediately dismissed his former thoughts and shut his mouth. He had to remember that Danny was a man as well as a cop; he could handle this.

 _Can he?_ The two words bounced to and fro against McGarrett's brain, bringing his prior doubts to the surface again. But Steve hastily shook his head, perhaps trying to shake away these misgivings as well. Danny could endure this, _he was a man._ But even though Steve viewed Danny like this in his mind, in his heart, he sometimes viewed the junior cop like a boy; someone who still needed to be guided and in some circumstances, sheltered.

McGarrett took one more glance at Danny before finally pulling away from the deep fathoms of his reflections, and starting towards the phone on his desk. Danny would tell him if this case was too difficult for him to deal with; he would tell him if something was wrong. Danny trusted Steve greatly and because of that, he would inform the senior cop if the case was getting too heavy for him. McGarrett closed his eyes momentarily and gave a slight nod of his head in willing agreement. His conscious was right; he had to trust Danny.


	2. An Unexpected Visitor

_CHAPTER 2_

Steve's finger, which had been hovering over the _page_ button for a moment, was just about to press down on it when the receiver buzzed abruptly. The front desk was paging him. McGarrett's eyes were suddenly illuminated with new confidence, and his features filled with urgency. The lab results must have come in. Maybe it was a bit early for Che Fong to turn in his detailed work, but who could explain the wonders of forensic science? The head of Five-O then picked up the phone without hesitance, and placed it to his ear.

"Yes, Jenny?" he said quickly, his tone of voice inadvertently exposing his great anticipation.

For a minute, silence hung in the air like a thin veil before Jenny's familiar voice could be perceived on the other end. The faithful secretary's sweet tones could be heard vaguely as Steve held the phone to his ear, but neither Danny nor Chin nor Kono could quite make out what she was telling him. The only clue they had as to what she was saying were the expressions on Steve's face. He looked rather disappointed and discouraged at first, but slowly, his handsome countenance shaped into a look of pleasant surprise. They could also hear an occasional, though muffled giggle or two coming from Jenny. Danny turned around in his chair to get a better look at Steve, and continued to watch him with solemn, attentive eyes; Kono and Chin exchanged bewildered and inquisitive glances with each other.

Steve's deep blue eyes became increasingly more vibrant with exaggerated astonishment as he heard Jenny's news, and he shot a quick look at Danny. "Is that so?" he replied, a small smile breaking through his stern features. The room then fell silent once more after these words were spoken, and the ice was not broken again for quite some time.

Kono's brow fell into a thoughtful yet perplexed frown, and he looked round at Chin with questions spiraling in his eyes. The Chinese man simply shrugged in response and then focused his attention back on Steve, who was still acting as surprised as ever. Kono also turned to stare at his boss with more confounding puzzlement than before. Making a confused motion with his hands, he tried to communicate to McGarrett that he didn't understand what the matter was.

A playful glimmer stealthily crept into Steve's eyes, and he pointed at Danny before winking back at the big Hawaiian. Kono though, remained bewildered. Chin was just as baffled. Steve pressed his lips together, and his ardent eyes swept across the room as he tried to find a way to disclose his message to Chin and Kono without directly notifying Danny. A few more seconds passed in confusion and reticence, before Steve's sharp irises suddenly brightened and stopped mid-way across the room. Placing his hand on his heart, he moved his palm up and down upon it in a slow, leisurely manner. This motion had been used before whenever this subject was discussed, and Steve was almost certain Chin and Kono would catch onto it.

Kono was the first one who actually got it. He remained befuddled for a few more moments, but then his whole face lit up with new awareness and he mouthed the word, _Oh._ Chin looked on at these actions in a bemused fashion, and afterwards, probed Kono with his questioning eyes to pass the news on to him.

The same order of events that had passed among Steve and Kono, were now repeated between Chin and Kono. Additional motions were thrown in though; motions which Danny could absolutely not understand. He didn't even understand what Steve had communicated to Kono! Nevertheless, these proceedings resulted in the same reaction, albeit by Chin of, _Oh._

Danny now eyed all of his friends with suspicion and agitation gleaming in his light blue eyes. It seemed to him that they were trying to conceal something from him, and everything was beginning to feel very awkward. Chin, Kono, and Steve kept glancing at him and then looking at each other with those deliberate stares. Danny glared back at them, his expression intensifying and growing all the more uneasy. There was no doubt about it. The looks on their clever faces and their repetitive observations of him, told Danny that this voiceless conversation had something to do with him… and none of them wanted to enlighten him about it.

Finally, the uncomfortable silence ended and Steve spoke once more.

"Alright," McGarrett answered, nodding his head in a tentative manner, though he still kept his seemingly cunning eyes fixed on Danny. "I'll send him right out."

Danny was now very perturbed, and he ran his fingers up and down his emerald-beige tie speedily. He blinked in misunderstanding as he looked back at his boss, and he shook his head slowly to indicate that he didn't have the slightest idea about what was going on.

Steve held the phone closer to his ear, and gazed back at Danny in intentional reticence. Something impish and perhaps even mischievous lay deep beneath the surfaces of his mature eyes. In another instant, Steve set the phone back on the receiver. For a long lapse of time, he fastened it in a concentrated stare and would not move his irises from it. But then, he raised his head and brought Danny back into his shrewd watch. Keeping his eyes on the younger man and without saying a word, he began to tap his fingers against his desk. Danny though, even with all the bold hints he had been given by his companions, was still not catching onto the truth.

"What is it?" Danny asked, raising himself to his feet and staring Steve straight in the eyes without blinking. There was a small amount of expectation in his features, as well as apprehension. "Is there new evidence for the case?"

Chin suppressed a good-natured giggle, which resulted in him nearly choking on the smoke from his pipe. Kono let out a noise that sounded like something between a cough and a chuckle. But Danny didn't pay any heed to them; he kept his focus on Mcgarrett.

Steve retained the truth for one more second, holding Danny in one last thrill of tantalizing suspense. But at last, McGarrett's probing detective gaze dissolved and a full, warm smile danced across his face. "A young lady is here to see you." He said. "I believe her name is Jane Michaels…?" the senior cop finished, raising an eyebrow and watching his friend closely through eyes sparkling with amusement.

Danny's once tired and dazed irises suddenly grew alive again with fast astonishment and understanding, and his white cheeks reddened even more. "A week old lunch date!" he nearly gasped, loudly slapping his forehead with his palm. "I forgot all about it! I promised Jane…" But before Danny even finished, he abruptly stopped himself. It didn't take very long for his keen mind to gather all the facts. He knew there was no way he could possibly go on a lunch date today. They were in the middle of a very important case, and they were still waiting for the lab results. He couldn't just leave; he had to be in the office when they came in.

 _But…_

Mild sadness and distress flooded Danny's placid blue eyes, which now looked like the gentle waves that lap upon the sand in the evening hours. It had seemed like weeks since the last time he had been able to see Jane. Lately, the cases had just been coming in torrents; robberies, assaults, rigged gambling tables… The list went on and on. It seemed like there wasn't any time to even breathe. Danny had made promise after promise to Jane, but unfortunately, had to break each one. Every time he set a date to spend time with her, a new case always seemed to roll in just before the appointed day came along. It was maddening. Danny hated to see the disheartened look on Jane's face each time he had to break their dates. It really hurt him, and he imagined it hurt Jane quite a bit too. But once again, Danny knew he had to delay their time together. The case had to come first.

Disappointment grazed over Danny's worn-out features for a moment, but was quickly replaced with the look of dependability and acceptance. His duty had to come before all else; the lifted eyebrows from Chin and Kono and the look on Steve's face reminded him of that. When Danny took this job, many of his friends said that it would be hard and back-breaking work. But he had taken it nevertheless, hardships and all. Now it was time to live up to that accountability.

Jane, like Danny, was a Christian, which made her more patient and understanding than most other women. She knew the demands of Danny's work, and she accepted them; for his heart, was a heart worth waiting for. As it was typical for her, she would probably nod her pretty little head and let the matter slip by without a fight. Jane already knew Danny loved her, and she also knew that he would spend more time with her if he could. But for now, she was content with what rare, precious times they were able to have with each other.

The youngest member of Five-O stared at his colleagues for a second longer in indecision. The powerful wills of duty and love were warring in the very depths of his eyes. But finally, after hesitating a little more, Danny bowed his head and let out a heavy exhale. "I'll break it." He said in a very soft, if not dismayed tone.

Steve's gentle eyes filled with admiration for his friend, and he gave a curt dip of his head in satisfaction and approval. McGarrett's heart though, was not completely without mercy. A faint smile still remained on his face, and he looked back at a distraught Danny with tenderness and warmth. "You don't have to make it brief though, Danny." He said, grace and thoughtfulness delicately encrypted in his serious expression.

"You don't have to make it 'till The Rapture either, _bruh-da_." Kono added, tossing his thick black hair back a short distance and glancing at Danny incisively. Chin grinned at Kono with mock sourness, before turning to look at Danny with sparkling eyes and a beautiful smile. The fluorescent sunlight that flowed in between the narrow spaces between the blinds shone onto his sleek black hair and made it glisten.

"Don't you mind him," Chin said dismissively, waving his hand at the younger man in reassurance and ignoring Kono's comment. "You take as long as you need to, Danno." The middle-aged Chinese man then took his former seat, resumed his previous posture, and blew out another wisp of smoke.

Upon hearing Steve's words, Danny's head rose instantly and his beautiful blue eyes shimmered with newfound joy and gratitude. The blonde tossed a good-humored look of annoyance at Kono after his remark, and then gave Chin a quick but thankful smile. Danny then turned to look at Steve. Their eyes met in a loving stare as only dear friends can share, and they endeared themselves to one another even more deeply.

When he received this affectionate affirmation from his boss, Danny's eyes grew ever brighter with happiness and appreciation and his smile widened. "I won't be long," he hastily reassured, his voice calm, yet growing with excitement.

Steve grinned back at Danny contentedly and nodded again. "I know." He replied in a convinced voice, with a discerning glimmer in his perceptive irises.

Danny exchanged one last glance of thanks with his respected leader, before straightening his olive-green suit coat slightly and heading for the door. In another moment, after the young man had smoothed down his tie, he left the office and shut the door behind him. Kono looked after him fondly, though gleeful laughter still danced in his eyes and all over his face.

"Ah, to be young again," Chin mused longingly, as he contemplatively watched the door close behind Danny. He then settled back in his chair with a deep sigh, and resumed smoking his pipe.

All was hushed for a short time after this statement was made, and neither Kono nor Steve moved whilst they considered Chin's words. Although both men did not reply to the Chinese man's statement, they understood it well; especially Steve. A distant and regretful look filled his cobalt eyes, and he silently breathed out an exhale. Life was so much more bearable when one was younger, and the world could be viewed as beautiful for one breathless second. But when one had lived in it long enough, its once radiant color was stripped away, only leaving behind the true hideous shades of its sorry state. Yes, some aspects of life were beautiful… but after seeing ever mounting evil, the innocence of one's heart was robbed from them. It was true that Danny was a cop, and he had seen many things that were hard to look at, but still, his innocence had not been torn from him. The world was still a bright, promising place to him. The cruelties of life had not yet dealt Danny a blow which he could not bear; therefore, he retained a mostly positive view of reality.

But then the day would come when the young cop's whole world-view would perhaps be changed forever. Soon the veracity of this wicked world would flood into his life, nearly causing him to break under the power of its mighty waves. He would see and experience the worst part of humanity. The pain would strike him hard when he lost a loved one, and the grief would attempt to steal his joy and cripple him. The tears of righteous rage would scald his eyes when he saw the disintegrated corpse of a young girl unearthed, and covered in multiple stabbing-wounds; or when he saw the body of a man whose very organs had been torn out of him, because they could be sold on the black market by some junkie who was desperate to get back on heroine. His heart would break every time the very same people he cherished, suddenly walked out of his life without even saying a simple goodbye…

The tears were coming now, Steve could feel them burning his irises like salt. In another instant, he turned around and walked over to an open window to hide the pathetic expression upon his face from his men. Closing his eyes, Steve took in a long breath of the pure Hawaiian air. He could smell and hear the splashing waves of the ocean, and the tangy palm trees, and the sweet wind. The lovely atmosphere calmed him, and he finally let go of his breath. His eyes opened shortly after, and not a trace of a tear could be found in them. Once again, McGarrett was able to get a reign around his emotions and stop the tears from spilling off his eyelids; for he knew from many experiences that once he allowed the water to fall, _it would never stop_. Life held an abundance of things worth crying about. Steve's irises, overcast with pain and dismal knowledge, remained still for a time as the last of his thoughts drifted through his mind. The wind gently blew a small tuft of his dark brown hair back, and when it had fallen back into place, his eyes appeared to have thawed from their seemingly frozen state, and now gazed intently at the busy world outside. The last light from McGarrett's previously cheerful expression dwindled and then disappeared altogether, and the grim understanding of reality set more deeply into his solemn features. Even as he watched the different cars and people pass under his window, he could not help but think, _The murderer is still out there, and he's going to strike again. Some other helpless girl is going to die, and what can we do? Wait. Wait. Wait until we find her corpse. But then, it will have been too late. Too late to save her life after her lungs have been deprived of air for too long. Too late to catch the criminal in the act. Too late to save a life. Oh God… Help us._

 _Help us._


	3. The Last Time He Saw Her

_CHAPTER 3_

The clock had just struck _1:04_ in the afternoon, when Danny hurriedly opened the door of Steve's office and walked out. His face was bright with excitement, yet a tiny hint of worry showed in it too. After the young cop was out of the room, he quietly closed the door behind him. When he turned around, Jenny was there to greet him. She smiled at him cheerfully and pointed her pen towards his small office, which adjoined Steve's.

"She's in there." She stated sweetly, her long flaxen lashes smoothly brushing against her skin as she blinked.

Danny didn't respond immediately, nor did he move. When he had first left McGarrett's office behind him, he knew Jane was going to be waiting for him in his workplace. Whenever she came, she always waited there for him. His stare was now concentrated on that very same place, and he could even see Jane's light pink shoes peeking out from behind the doorway. Danny bit his lip and ran his hand over his blonde locks in a nervous fashion. He knew Jane wasn't going to be upset, but he just couldn't help but feel a little anxious. It always felt very awkward and upsetting when he had to walk up to her and penitently ask for forgiveness. It wasn't that he didn't _want_ to ask for forgiveness, it was just… well, he had said it over and over again, and the words sounded so empty after a while. And perhaps they should have; he had said them a hundred times over.

Danny's brow fell into a frown and he stood motionless at the door of McGarrett's office; his hand rested on the handle for a little while more before it finally dropped limply at his side. He looked very uncomfortable and vaguely tense, and his face was gaining even more color every second. Jenny noticed all of this, and took pity on the youngest member of Five-O. She knew very well how this all went. Danny always did this before he had to go tell Jane that he couldn't go out with her. It was the hardest part of what he had to do, even if he knew it was going to turn out alright. Nevertheless, Danny could never go through with it on his own, so Jenny had to give him a slight prod in the right direction; he'd do alright once he got over his uncertainty and entered his office. Placing an innocent smile on her face, the secretary proceeded to do just that.

"Is… everything alright?" she asked unpretentiously, looking at her friend through caring though curious eyes.

Danny suddenly turned around to look at Jenny, as if he had only just noticed that she was there. It was as if he had abruptly been called back from a mesmerizing trance. His short fingers tapped rapidly against his palm, and he shifted from side to side restlessly. Danny stared at Jenny for a moment in silence, before turning his gaze back to Jane's pink pastel shoes. The young man repeated this same action a few times, occasionally drawing in a breath and opening his mouth as if he was about to say something; but the words never succeeded in coming out. Finally though, after hesitating a bit longer, his quick and restive blue eyes trained their focus back on Jenny.

"Uh… yes." Danny responded slowly, if not also uneasily. "Everything's…" He glanced back at his office again momentarily, the words still clinging to his tongue. Without him even really knowing, his polished brown dress-shoe began to scrape back and forth against the carpet noiselessly; another sign of his increasing apprehension. Danny then turned back to Jenny yet again, and managed to give her a reassuring smile. "Everything's fine." He finished, trying to appear casual.

But the young cop didn't fool Jenny. She had seen this little occurrence happen too many times already. Although, no matter how many times she witnessed it, it never really made sense to her. Time and time again, Danny had faced guns, brutal thugs, and hardened criminals without a trace of fear. And yet, every time he had to break a date with his girlfriend, he was positively terrified! There was no cause for him to be either. He knew ahead of time that Jane was going to be completely understanding. Nevertheless, Danny still seemed to be frightened to death whenever he had to tell Jane he couldn't spend time with her. Jenny only rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. _Oh well,_ she reflected to herself. _Who can explain the rationality of young love anyway? He'll get over his fear in a few more minutes, and he'll go in._

The secretary then pulled away from her considerations, and #!*% a dubious eyebrow at Danny. She did not dispute what her friend said though. Instead, she just smiled at him encouragingly, reached out, and gave his fidgeting hand a little squeeze. After this action was done, Jenny returned to her work. Or _appeared_ to do so. One could have reason to believe that soon after her affectionate gesture towards Danny, she took a discreet peek at him to see if her benevolent act had persuaded him to move at all.

In the end, Jenny's thoughtful motion actually did seem to pay off. The doubt in Danny's concerned expression suddenly seemed to fade away after the secretary offered him her wordless support. The young man stared down at his rough yet gentle hands for a minute, before a wide grin steadily formed around his lips. Giving Jenny an appreciative glance, Danny then headed for his office. The courage and confidence he had once thought so hard to find, suddenly enveloped and lightened his appearance. He just had time to adjust his silver watch-band, before he walked into his small yet comforting office with an eager step.

When Danny walked in, his brown swivel chair was just as he had left it; sitting by his petite maple desk and facing out the large, narrow, half-circle window. In fact, Danny William's office looked like an exact miniature duplicate of Stephen McGarrett's. Papers and open files and pens lay strewn all over the table, and the small trash can was filled to the brim with white cups; some still containing a few muddy drops of coffee. And then there was the wooden clock above the window, with its bright golden hands. The walls were staunch white, despite some minor scrapes that ran across certain places on them. An eye-catching diploma from the Institute of Hawaii, though laid beneath dusty glass, hung on the wall right in front of one as they stepped in. A detailed map of Oahu was on the other wall to the left. A bare coat hanger stood dejectedly in the right corner, just out of reach of the sun's beams. There were the two mahogany waiting chairs too… Danny noticed all of these familiar things and they truly brought him great ease. But the one person who caught his attention over all else and held it, was the woman who stood to her feet when he entered. Danny's striking blue eyes were instantly captured by her own.

Jane Michaels wore a light pink dress that stopped at her knees, and a sweater to match that went a little past her elbows. The outfit suited her tanned complexion nicely, and brought out the rouge in her cheeks. Jane was not a gaudy female; in truth she wore very little make-up and jewelry. Her delicate features were her true beauty, as was her brave yet gentle heart. She had glossy, honey-brown hair that curled just below her shoulders, and her sea-green eyes were clear, turquoise pools of loveliness. But even though her beautiful irises shone with happiness, remote grief still laid buried deep within them.

Jane's simple prettiness might not have been very attractive to other men, but to Danny, every single thing about her was just perfect. Even as he saw her, the remaining uncertainty in the blonde's heart just fell away. A warm throb in his steady chest replaced his prior anxiety, and a calming feeling of special peace eased into his spirit.

"Hi, Jane," he said, unabashed and with a content smile upon his mouth. Every time Danny was near to Jane, he always felt whole. _Complete._ But when she was away, sometimes it seemed as if she took a little part of his soul with her. Ever so often, when Danny was alone in his quiet apartment, he would think of Jane. And whenever he did, a little ache of loneliness would tug at his core. Danny actually found himself missing her company more and more. It wasn't that he was _actually_ lonely; he had Steve, and Chin, and Kono. They were his friends and he loved them, but this relationship was different.

For some time now and even recently, a marriage proposal had been on Danny's mind. He had been praying about it for many months, and finally, he believed God had given him an answer. After so much prayer and serious thinking, Danny was definitely sure it was a _yes._ Jane was a nice Christian girl, and he loved her with all he was… and he knew she loved him too.

Jane smiled back at Danny, and the lingering sadness that still clung to her disappeared for a moment. "Hi, Dan," she replied, looking back at him with doting affection. Yet, even if Danny appeared to be vibrant and lively with emotion and gladness, he could not hide the dark circles beneath his eyes. When Jane saw how tired he looked, concern stole some of the happiness from her countenance and she felt his cheeks and forehead. "Are you alright?" she asked caringly, her hand returning to his right cheek to estimate its temperature again.

Danny sighed heavily but nodded his consent. "Yeah, I'm fine." He answered. "I just lost a little sleep, that's all." He stared back at Jane genially and smiled again, as if to prove his words. In truth though, the young man was still a little unnerved about Linda's murder, but he dare not voice those thoughts to Jane. She had probably dwelled on the same subject for the past few days. Danny could see it hadn't done her any good either. Her eyes were coated with a watery glaze, no doubt from crying many tears, and her shoulders were pulled in tight with discomfort. No. It was best not to mention the cause of his present fatigue and disquiet. It couldn't do anything but damage anyway.

Jane's hand remained upon Danny's cheek for a moment more, even as she looked at him. Her stare was a powerful one, one that searched deeply into Danny's soul. He could tell she didn't believe his previous words, and was now looking for the source of his discomfort; but Danny was determined to not let her discover it. He kept all of the feelings and fears buried beneath his soul, and only permitted serenity to emerge in his demeanor. Jane and Danny gazed at each other for a while longer; her eyes were still searching thoroughly through his somber ones, but they could not find anything. There was one second though, one second when Danny thought Jane could see right through him. However, in another second, he seemed fortunately mistaken. Jane finally stopped testing the truth of his words, and her stiff shoulders relaxed.

"Okay," she responded, a smile slowly finding its way back onto her face. Jane then gently brushed Danny's blonde hair aside with her finger. The last of her unease gradually washed away, and within an instant, she had found her joy again. "Now, about that lunch date…" she started quietly, fixing Danny in her captivating look and taking a lock of her silken hair and curling it around her finger. There was nothing presumptuous about her tone of voice; in fact it was very gentile.

Before the words even left Jane's mouth, Danny knew they were coming. He sucked the air in through his teeth, and an uncomfortable and regretful expression pinched his face. Now, it had really come to it.

"Yeah, about that…" he began slowly, tossing a quick glance at the ground and painfully grating the toe of his dress-shoe against the rug. This was the absolute worst part… when he had to look into her eyes and say it. Danny cringed and hesitated for a minute, not wanting to proceed even though he knew he couldn't turn back. The manner of his voice had already practically given away the bad news before it came out in a sentence; he might as well say it and get it over with it.

"I'm really sorry Jane, but since the…" Danny stopped his uneven speech before he could jumble any more of his words, and bit his lip. He had almost made a seriously bad slip there. It was a really awful idea to mention Linda's murder right now. The grief was still too near, and it would most likely bring back the unsettling images of that terrible day. It was best to forget about it as soon as possible; they had to move as soon as they were able, and leave the past in the past. Well, Jane at least.

"Since this new case came in," Danny continued, making sure to choose his next sentence very carefully, "We have to work extra hard on it. Also, we're still waiting for the lab results and…"

Jane didn't need Danny to finish. She had already known ahead of time because of his hesitant speech and the guilty expressions on his face. Her eyes filled with immediate understanding and she nodded, "And you can't go. I know." She replied patiently, finishing his statement for him and finally setting the light brown curl around her finger free.

Though Danny saw a slight amount of disappointment in those beautiful turquoise gems when they stared up at him, he also saw love and grace. That's what he truly loved about Jane. Not matter what the situation, she always understood it perfectly. And instead of _complaining_ about it, she was fully committed to _working_ with it. Jane was just such a beautiful person, who held more of God's love and selflessness in her little finger than most other people contained in their whole hearts. For that reason, he really hated to do this to her yet another time. Even though Jane had tried to hide it, he knew she was saddened. She had truly been looking forward to this.

A puckered brow settled onto Danny's face, and his remorseful eyes rose to look back into Jane's. They alone, seemed to plea for undeserved forgiveness. The young man then wrapped his arms around her waist, and placed his head against hers. "I am really sorry about this, Jane." He apologized again, though more penitently. Danny cast his eyes down to ground in shame and whispered softly, "You're always so patient with me, and I don't think I deserve it. Every time we plan a date, something seems to get in the way…"

Jane shook her head even though it was still upon Danny's, and displaced many brown tresses that had once been tucked neatly behind her ears. She would not allow him to finish his guilt-ridden apology, nor would she let him torture himself for something that was not his fault. Even if Danny had asked for forgiveness many times, she knew he meant every word each time. He didn't have to put himself through such painful embarrassment! When would he realize that she _really did_ understand?

"Oh Dan," she said with a clear, cheerful laugh that brought beauty and warmth to the unhappy little room. "Don't be so contrite! I understand. The job has to come first, I know that." Jane then raised her head so Danny could look straight at her, and see the insight and beautiful devotion that showed clearly in her features.

But shortly after, the blissful light in her face began to change rapidly. All of a sudden, the teal crystals that were her eyes seemed to lose some of their luster. A voiceless despair gripped her, and tore away all gladness from her. The blush in Jane's cheeks had evaporated, leaving her face as white as porcelain. Her once cheery disposition just dissolved away from her, and her true state of feelings was laid bare. The young woman then took Danny's coat in her hands and gripped it as tight as she could. "You must find who's done this to Linda," she stated unexpectedly, her tone though trying to remain evenly controlled, was quavering a little. "So he doesn't do it to someone else." Once these words had been spoken, Jane hastily cast her eyes down to the ground if only to hide from Danny the sudden rush of warm tears that had filled them. Before she knew it, she let out a restrained sob as the image of Linda's dead body, lying still in the tennis court flashed across her mind. " _Oh Dan,_ " she wept quietly, clutching his coat tighter in a desperate attempt to cope with these hurtful feelings, which had abruptly sprung upon her without warning. "How could this happen? _Why?_ "

When Danny heard this, his once untainted blue eyes began to dim with sorrow, and the ashen complexion he had born earlier returned to his face. His previous attempts to keep Linda's murder out of their conversation had just become meaningless. So, it was true then? The killing was still haunting them all in a strange, ghoulish way; leaving every single one of them with a dreadful sense of woe. No matter how hard they tried, there seemed to be no possible way of dragging it away from their brains. It was clinging to them wherever they went. Something completely unrelated could bring back a frightful recollection of that repulsive scene; forcibly pulling them back into the past that they were trying so hard to forget.

After the sorrow had passed, Danny's once bleak expression evolved into one of pity and love for his fiancée. He hugged Jane closer to him, and lovingly placed his chin upon her velvety hair. "I'm sorry, Jane. _I'm so sorry._ " He whispered comfortingly, as he gently rocked her in his arms. But even though he acted kindly towards Jane, there was something undeniably fierce in Danny's manner. Something seemed to have snapped deep within the young cop during these events. Yes, pain ripped through his spirit, but there was a powerful determination embedded _in_ that pain. That determination was the very same that Chin, and Kono, and Steve had: to seek _justice_ , love _mercy,_ and walk humbly _with_ _God_.

"We'll find this man," the blonde stated with definite certainty, and with undaunted resolve. His blue eyes then grew cold with the severe anger of justice, and with an unwavering purpose. "We'll find him and we'll stop him."

Jane drew in a shaky breath, rested her head on Danny's chest, and nodded against it in response to his words. _Yes. Yes. They will find him. They will._ But even though she wanted to believe that Five-O would find this criminal before he struck again, she had an unnerving feeling in her heart that they wouldn't. There was no hope of it… he _would_ strike again before they could catch him. It would be too late… one more innocent girl was going to be this heartless killer's next victim.

The minutes slipped by in silence, and Jane and Danny only held each other in voiceless consolation. But even if no words were spoken, the comfort was still a potent balm to both their souls. Just being near each other, _knowing_ the other person felt your grief, rage, fear, and pain. It spoke more then even a thousand words could.

The fresh wind peacefully blew in through the open window, and lightly brushed through Jane's and Danny's hair. It calmed them further, especially Jane. At last, her hushed sobs ceased altogether, but even then, she held onto Danny for a little while longer. The very balanced beating of his fearless heart against her ear was a great reassurance to her in and of itself. Finally, after a few more silent seconds, Jane let go of Danny's coat, raised her head from his chest, and bravely wiped away the rest of her tears.

"Well," she said, sniffling a bit and trying to force a positive smile back on her colorless lips. "If you want to call me or anything I'll be at the Hawaii School for the Junior Blind. They have an auction today; a benefit for the new building they want to erect." Jane exhaled an elongated breath, and the rest of her sadness and uncertainties seemed to temporarily drift away. When she looked at Danny again, her face and eyes were once more filled with affection and hope. "I'll miss you, Dan," she said, longing glistening in her watery irises. Jane's small smile then broadened and she shook her long, wavy, brown hair. "But you needn't worry. I understand why you can't come, and I forgive you."

Danny's dark, emotional expression quickly melted into one of relief when he saw Jane's change of attitude, and heard her words. Thank God that she had managed to find her happiness again; Danny had seen her break down the day Linda had died, and it had torn his soul in two to witness the state she had been in. Anytime Jane was hurting, Danny was hurting too. He hated it when her heart was trembling with cold and he could not warm it, nor offer it aid. He hated it when he could only stand by and watch helplessly as it shattered into numerous pieces. Yes, he was truly glad that Jane's joy had returned to her. But before Danny could become more genuinely comfortable in this new relief, his fiancée's features shone with impish delight and she added in a playful tone,

"I'll forgive you, _if_ you take me to dinner tonight."

Danny's heart sparked up with fervent happiness when he heard this, and he grinned back at her broadly. "Done." He replied without hesitance, the very true and close attachment he had to her spreading throughout his whole face. "I'll pick you up at six."

Jane's pretty features brightened up even more, and she smiled back at Danny vividly. In another moment, she had tenderly pressed her lips against his chilled ones, restoring color to them again. "I love you, Danny," she whispered warmly, her voice filled with devotion and her heart beating with adoration.

Danny looked back into Jane's vivacious blue-green irises lovingly and with a soothing gesture, brushed a stray strand of her beautiful russet hair behind her ear. "I love you too." He answered sincerely, though his voice was barely above a murmur.

Jane's attention remained fixed upon Danny for a little while longer, and she raised her hand and softly touched his cheek. Her countenance was filled with shared love and optimism, yet… yet there was something else that left a dark impression upon her; a shadow, a lingering, undeclared fear that had gnawed at her mind ever since the murder. Life seemed so fragile and precious all of a sudden; for after her friend had died, Jane remembered that the human existence was never far from the grave. Life was a gift from God, but she had been unpleasantly reminded that it could easily be taken by the sin of man.

The water in those teal pools then began to cloud over and grow murky; soon all traces of Jane's thoughts would be lost and locked deep inside of her heart. But before the emotions slipped from her eyes, Danny caught the odd look in them. It almost seemed to him as if she feared she would never see him again…. as if she feared that her life too, would be destroyed by this masked, unknown threat. This look began to disturb Danny bit by bit, but before he could ask Jane about it, it vanished and she was laughing joyfully once more.

"Goodbye, Danny!" she said, smoothly pulling away from his embrace and kissing his cheek lightly. "I'll see you tonight!" Jane then walked over to the door, waved at Danny one last time, and then was gone. The young cop looked after her with surprise at first, but then the surprise transformed into affection and a pleased smile slowly formed around his lips. _I'm the most blessed man in the world to hold her heart…_ He thought to himself blissfully, _Her beautiful, pure heart… Me and my Jane. My Jane and I._

After a few more seconds and a contented sigh, Danny turned away from the closed door of the Five-O offices and headed back towards Steve's workplace. Jenny, who looked as if she was deeply engrossed in her work, unexpectedly raised her nose out of her papers when he passed her. Soon after, when Danny had reached his boss's door and was just about to open it, she cast him a teasing wink and remarked,

"She's a nice girl."

Danny nodded in ready agreement as he took the brass knob of Mr. McGarrett's door in his dry palm, and a distant gaze sparkled in his arresting eyes. "The best." He responded, giving Jenny a very satisfied look. The youngest member of Five-O then turned the handle of the sturdy redwood door, and entered back into McGarrett's office.


	4. Back in the Office

_CHAPTER 4_

Chin was still seated in the chair in the corner, smoking his pipe with enjoyment as he mused upon the many thoughts that were present in his intelligent mind. Kono was standing by the window with Steve; their faces were hard and grave, and they appeared to be discussing something very pressing in whispered tones. But no matter what they were all doing beforehand, every one of their heads turned when Danny reentered the room.

The young man looked back at each of them with new vim in his attitude, as he neatly closed the door behind him. "It's all taken care of, Steve." Danny affirmed in a business-like tone, effortlessly slipping back into his role as a professional policeman.

Kono watched the blonde for a moment with an inquisitive air, and he raised an interested eyebrow. "Was she upset?" he asked in a prying way, though his tanned face tried to keep a deceiving appearance that seemed above suspicion.

Danny grinned back at Kono complacently, before shaking his head and heading back to the chair he had occupied earlier. "Not one bit." He answered coolly, maintaining his calm manner. Danny then plopped down in his seat and switched his gaze to Steve, who was leaning pensively against the window-sill. "Now, let's get back to this case." He said, eager persistence plainly discernable in his voice. "A murderer is still at large out there, and we need to find him."

When these words reached McGarrett's ears, his stormy, pondering, blue eyes looked back at Danny with slight surprise, yet true respect. That blonde would make a pretty good cop one day. "Alright, Danno." He agreed, pushing away from the window's ledge with his elbow. "Let's get back to work."

After glancing at the outdoor traffic one last time, Steve moved away from the elevated window and sat back at his desk with a resigned exhale. Many papers were scattered all over it, as well as open files; others cases that also needed to be solved. But this murder was the top priority on the list. The other offenses were still serious, but not as urgent as Linda Marsh's killing.

Amongst all the files, papers, pens, and memos (Mr. McGarrett still managed to keep his desk tidy, regardless of all these objects), there was one, solitary, Styrofoam cup of hot coffee. The steam rose out of the warm liquid in soft, creamy coils that gradually evaporated into the moist, air-conditioned environment. Steve just seemed to notice the cup when he settled back into his office-chair. Even as his observant eyes rested upon it, he suddenly remembered its purpose and how it had gotten there. McGarrett's seemingly ancient beige chair creaked in protest as he leaned forward towards the cup, and took it in his large yet caring hands. He then held it out to Danny. "It's still hot." He said to the younger man. "I asked Jenny to bring it in a few seconds after you left."

Danny dipped his head in meek gratitude and enthusiastically received the small white cup. "Thanks." He said, giving Steve a quick glance of appreciation just before placing his lips against the Styrofoam. McGarrett winked back at him; he was more then happy to serve one of his closest and dearly loved friends.

However, the conversation Kono had started not too long ago, which had been dismissed by Danny, was not yet finished. The dark, brawny Hawaiian did not like nor believe the answer Mr. Williams had given him; he simply could not accept it. Jane must have been slightly annoyed that Danny had broken yet another date with her, not that it was his fault of course! His job was what it was, and whoever committed themselves to him should know that. Danny always pointed out that Jane was very tolerant though… But even if she was the most loving, patient, and kind woman in the world, she had to have been somewhat offended.

"Are you telling me that your girlfriend wasn't the least bit upset that you couldn't have lunch with her?" Kono asked ever more nosily, moving over to Danny's chair and carefully swiveling it around so he could fix the blonde in his questioning stare.

No matter how cautious Kono was when he twisted the chair, the blistering fluid in the foam cup leapt up and onto Danny's mouth. The youngest member of Five-O pursed his lips as the hot coffee burned them, but did not yield to Kono's meddlesome inquiries. He only tossed the Hawaiian an irritated glance before pulling the chair away from his grasp, and resting back into it seemingly undisturbed. "She was fine with it, really." He persisted more ardently, raising the cup to his mouth again, though determining that he would not burn himself this time.

Kono's discerning eyes narrowed with dissatisfaction, and he leaned on Danny's chair's arms and into his face. The two men stared at each other; Kono was searching for something that wasn't there and Danny was simply enjoying the good taste of his coffee. The young man tried to avert his light blue eyes from looking into Kono's, but it just happened. Whenever Danny tried to look up, the Hawaiian's interrogating features were there to greet him. Danny couldn't help but chuckle a bit; Kono's face was so serious! At last, the blonde couldn't help himself and cracked up.

"What on earth are you doing, Kono?" Danny asked, half laughing and half trying to swallow the rest of the coffee in his mouth so he didn't choke on it instead.

Kono's expression darkened with irritation when he heard this, and his black marble-like eyes finally rolled away from Danny. Soon after, he lost interest, dropped his probing air, and let out an unconvinced grunt. Trudging back over to Chin, Kono rested his elbows on the Chinese man's chair, and placed his chin in his hands. "Forget it, _bruh-da_." He said, annoyance vaguely audible in his thick Hawaiian accent. Since Kono was truly Polynesian by origin, as well as the fact that he was still mastering English, he pronounced _brother_ as _bruh-da._ Steve, Danny, and Chin had picked up on this pronunciation of the word too, and they took a liking to it. So now, all of them had come to use it.

"You like a hard rock." Kono continued in a peeved voice, knocking his fists against each other to illustrate his words. "I couldn't get anything out of you even if I threw you across this room!" The burly Hawaiian then shook his head and stated skeptically, "I still can't believe she just let you get away with this. She must have said _something!_ "

Now, it was Danny's turn to be annoyed. Kono's relentless pursuit of this silly conversation was getting pretty tedious. That tenacious policeman was determined to get the answer he was looking for, even if it wasn't what really happened! Danny whirled his chair around towards Steve's desk and set his cup of coffee back on the table. He then spun his chair back around so he could look Kono straight in the eyes. Folding his hands neatly in his lap and sitting up straight in his seat, he answered in a sarcastic tone, "What did you want her to say? ' _Oh Danny, you break too many dates because of your very inane police-work. I'm breaking up with you._ '" The aggravation in Danny's lucid blue eyes only loitered for a moment longer, before it departed and left a gleaming adoration in its stead. The youthful cop shook his head, rested it back against his chair, and smiled. "My Jane's not like that." He said in a soft murmur, his chest swelling with pride a little. "She's the most forgiving person I know. Except for God of course." Danny staid contemplative for a minute, and many memories of treasured past times roamed through his brain. But then, the far-away shimmer in his eyes faded and he stepped out of his pleasurable thoughts. He then took his foam mug back into his palms and took a taste of his coffee. However, the swirls of rich steam had ceased to rise up from the cup's rim, and the fluid inside had become lukewarm. But the young man didn't seem to notice.

Chin nodded in accordance to Danny's statement, and re-adjusted in his seat to find a more comfortable position. "Jane is a nice girl." He acknowledged simply, crossing his legs and seeming at perfect ease. "She very nice. Only she can understand his job. Other girls, they think he's cute, but they don't like that he's a cop."

Kono's eyes filled with sudden and newly-learned knowledge, and his chin rose up from his clasped hands. "Ah," he sighed forlornly, casting Danny a pity-filled glimpse. "He got the look, but not the work." Mock sympathy enveloped the Hawaiian's simple yet kindly features soon after this remark, and he lowered a pouting lip towards Danny.

Danny's fair eyebrows furrowed and he glared back at Kono with the sour _/I'm/not/amused/_ look. An even more infuriated exhale lifted the young man's sturdy chest, before he turned away from his two colleagues and back to his boss. Danny's eyes, though shadowed by annoyance, were practically pleading for relief from the teasing. He knew that Kono was going to torment him doggedly throughout the whole day if Steve didn't stop him. Of course it would just be in jest, but Danny didn't particularly like the idea of being jabbed in the ribs fifty times in one single day. And if you were jabbed in the ribs by Kono Kalakua even a few times in one afternoon, you were sore for a couple of twenty-four hour periods.

"Steve," Danny started, trying to stay cool as ice and keep the exasperation out of his voice. But try as he might, he could not conceal all his emotions; the very centers of his eyes were fuming lividly. "Can you please tell Kono to lay off me? I mean, don't we have work to do?" Danny looked to Steve with growing expectancy, and he made his last voiceless appeal to his leader.

Steve grinned back at Danny, and the profound liking and respect he held for the young man shone through his care-worn features. The senior detective allowed himself one final amused chuckle, before nodding his head in willing agreement. "Yes, Danno." He answered, the last rare undertones of his beautiful laugh rolling off into the breezy air. McGarrett then turned back to his desk, picked up the file on Linda Marsh's murder, and opened it. "We've got plenty of work to do." He finished, his watchful eyes scanning over the few papers enclosed in the beige folder and scrutinizing each one carefully. After examining these papers for a while, McGarrett raised his head so he could make eye-contact with Kono. The mature policeman fixed his man in a stern, but not unkind stare. "Now, you leave Danny alone." He ordered gently, yet firmly. "If you want to tease him, do that when you're off duty."

Kono was mildly disappointed when he heard this command, for he had just thought of a few other excellent remarks to tease his close colleague with. But if Steve said _no_ , then it was a definite _no_. Kono was reticent for a little while, and he refused to meet McGarrett's imposing stare. The Hawaiian man threw a few more mistrustful glances at Danny, before finally abandoning his zealous pursuit for the truth and reluctantly agreeing to a temporary cease-fire. So, the whole affair was settled and done with.

When he thought Steve wasn't looking, Danny leaned deeper into his chair in reprieve, and grinned at Kono in wordless gloating. Kono glowered back at him, let out a muffled grumble, and simply crossed his arms over his chest in defiance.

"I aint finished with you yet, _bruh-da_." He declared, returning Danny's victorious stare with his own playfully insolent one; those dark, glistening eyes were intent upon finding what they were looking for. Danny only rolled his own eyes in response, and took another sip of his coffee.

"Alright, that's enough you two." Steve said seriously, swinging around and looking at both his men with sober eyes, though some lingering laughter still sparkled within them. Danny and Kono cautiously observed each other for a long while, wordlessly settling the last of their playful feud. Soon, smiles were back on their faces and they nodded back at Steve, truthfully reassuring him that they wouldn't try to rib each other anymore. McGarrett accepted their vows warily, and then turned back to the pile of papers on his desk. A deep sigh passed his lips and he said,

"Now, while we wait for those lab results, let's get back to work."


	5. Minutes of Agony

CHAPTER 5

The city of Honolulu was strangely quiet as the oncoming evening approached. The children had come home from school, only a few solitary people scattered the beaches, and a cool evening breeze was rolling in from the north. The electric street-lamps had just begun to come on, and the usual traffic was starting to loosen up a little bit. It had been a long day and now everyone was rushing home to start dinner, and take a greatly-needed respite before the next morning came along with its new quandaries. Welcoming yellow glows began to illuminate the insides of homes as twilight made its breath-taking appearance in the sky.

The sun's once brilliant light was fading. Slowly, one minute after another, the large orange star was lowering in the sky… soon to disappear. Its rays tried feebly to pierce through the fluffy cumulus clouds, but in vain. Even as the golden beams of day began to die away, they swept into the massive expanse of the purple of twilight and created an entrancing landscape. The heavens looked like an intricate painting of amber and violet; these colors were not exact however. Their lovely shades were growing ever darker, even as the earth lost more and more light. The clouds rolled across the sinking sun, hiding her for a moment as if in elated expectation of the coming night. Once the prevailing source of light in the universe was gone, the world would seem void of illumination and warmth. Darkness would sweep over the land like a wave, and cover it in groping shadows. The atmosphere would be serene and still, yet even in all this apparently perfect tranquility, there was still a ghastly sense of dread.

Danny watched with teary, frightened eyes as the sun dropped even lower on the horizon. The day was going fast and night was coming on even more quickly; he had to hurry. There was something in the young man's face that made him look greatly troubled… and maybe he had all the right to be. At that very moment, a horrific fear held him in petrified suspense. His brow was cold with beads of sweat and his muscles were constricted in a painful manner. His glassy eyes looked with severe vigilance at the road before him, and his shaky hands clutched the driving-wheel of his car so tight, that they nearly lost all circulation to them. Danny could not remember when he had been more afraid. The panic coursing through his veins seemed to have carved his heart out of his torso, and brought it right up to his throat. Even now his chest felt hollow and his esophagus tight. The anxiety was starting the paralyze Danny and if he wasn't careful, it would render him helpless. The youngest member of Five-O was now racing down Hawaii's streets with great speed, never stopping once at a single red light.

Danny sped past trees, cars, sidewalks, people, and buildings, but he didn't seem to notice any of them. Everything was a blur, and his unstable mind was still trying to grasp the news he had only received ten minutes ago. He had just been on his way to pick up Jane when… Danny whizzed over an overpass and skidded around another car to his left. The worry in his expressive features was intensifying and his lungs weren't allowing him any air. Why couldn't he seem to focus? Why did this all feel so unreal? _How could it be real?_ Surely this could not be true… _it was not true._ It didn't make any sense. The walls of Danny's sanity and composure were rapidly breaking down, and suddenly the paradise he protected around him, meant nothing to him. Everything didn't mean anything to him, and that was the most alarming part. The only thing on his mind now was the Hawaii School for the Junior Blind, and…. Jane.

 _Jane._

Danny took in a deep breath and bit his lip, trying desperately to force his nerves back under his control; he had to stay calm. Fear wouldn't do anything for him; it would only confuse his thinking. In this situation, he had to think logically and cautiously. Perhaps they had been wrong… it was possible that they could have made a mistake, wasn't it? There were probably a hundred girls out there who bore the resemblance of-

Danny nodded to himself and gripped the wheel of his automobile more tightly. He was in vehement denial, and he was frantically trying to convince himself of the impossible. _There must have been a mistake. It just can't be true; I just spoke to her today… a few hours ago. She can't be… She can't be… **She can't be…!**_ A sudden rush of balmy, saline tears flooded Danny's dry irises when the next inevitable word hit his brain, and they bleared the windshield before him. But the young cop quickly blinked them away, refusing to cave into his emotions. _I won't believe it. I won't. Not until I see it._

The dry air of the car was beginning to suffocate Danny, as well as making his stomach turn with nausea. He swiftly rolled down his window and allowed the crisp breeze of dusk to rush into his vehicle. The brisk, unpolluted wind instantly flowed into the car and bathed Danny in its invigorating coils. Breathing became immediately easier, and the panic in the young man's breast was temporarily quelled.

Danny's automobile made a sharp turn onto another street, screeching around the corner in the process. He was pushing forward with as much speed as his caution would permit him. Danny had driven these avenues a thousand times, and he knew the building he was seeking was nearby. He could just see the peak of its transparent roof a little ways ahead. One last block to go… _one last block._ The distance would seem insignificant to any other person at that time, but to Danny, it was like an eternity. It already felt as if he had been driving for hours; time knew how to play such cruel tricks on the disoriented mind of the lost. That final block was an unending mile, the last, most tormenting stretch of agonizing apprehension. Danny pressed his foot down on the gas, making the car accelerate even more. The engine thrummed loudly before undertaking the definitive leap towards the end.

The turbulent wind and Danny's own racing heart pounded in his ears, and his breath came in short, labored gasps. The harassingly long seconds and the strenuous pressure were becoming utterly unbearable. He _had_ to get to the school, and he had to get there _now_. The black Sudan lurched forward, slamming Danny up against his seat, but he didn't care. He didn't feel the pain, only the nerve-racking stress. He didn't care if his eardrums quivered excruciatingly from the air that crashed into them. He didn't care about anything anymore. _Just his Jane._

The small office-firms, shops, and narrow lanes finally gave way to a broader path, and the large colorful building of the Hawaii School for the Junior Blind suddenly rose up in front of Danny. It stood undaunted against the dazzling colors of the sunset, the dim light of the dying sun dancing across its polished glass windows. Danny let out half of his breath in relief, but held the other in his nostrils. He had reached the institute, but now… he had to discover the truth inside of it. The blonde hastily wiped his feverish temples before clasping the wheel with damp palms and speeding ahead. He had finally come to the end of the line, and the sweltering tension was at last about to meet its conclusion. But just as Mr. Williams' car was about to drive up into the parking lot of the school, a silver Honda slid in front of him, causing him to slow down.

Danny's azure eyes, which were already watery with increasing terror and distress, now blazed with unfounded rage. His face felt as if it was aflame and his hands began to quake ever more terribly from the extreme nervousness and emotional strain he was under. Nothing must stand in his way; **_nothing_**. He was too close now and he would not allow anything to prevent him from his unbendable purpose. The foreboding was too great, _he must know the truth!_ Slamming his hand down on his horn, Danny careened around the other car and hurtled into the parking-lot, his wheels screaming behind him. He could hear other automobiles honking at him irately as he passed, but he honestly didn't pay any heed to them. His whole life was swaying precariously on the barbed wires of tragedy, and he couldn't seem to find a secure grip on anything. It was as if all at once, everything had just slipped out of his control.

The gravel crunched and cracked underneath the black Sudan's rubber tires as Danny roughly pulled up into a parking space, and yanked his keys out of the ignition. He exited the car shortly after, banging his vehicle's door shut behind him. The moist breeze ran through the young man's blonde hair and pricked at his worried eyes as he raced over to the sliding glass doors of the institute's entrance.

In another second, Danny had passed over the threshold of the school and was now standing in the main lobby of the building. The cop's perceptive eyes took in everything about the inside of the structure as soon as he entered. The walls were painted with bright swirls of red, blue, yellow, and green. They were also lined with many completed projects by the school's juvenile inhabitants, as well as notable awards from the state of Hawaii. The floor looked like gray plaster, and thin streams of faint sunlight trickled in from the various minute windows climbing up to the ceiling. The hallways were dark though; it was clear that no one had bothered to turn on the lights yet. They probably weren't allowed to anyway. A murder had just been committed, so the building had most likely been shut off to everyone but the police. The whole place seemed deserted but for a few dull echoes coming from the hallway on the left, and two policemen with grim faces that Danny was rapidly approaching. They were observing him closely, and seemed to be trying to decide if he was going to come up to them or go back. But when Danny took another step forward, it was obviously revealed to them that he was not going to leave. After this action was performed, one of the policemen politely strode in front of him and blocked his path. He was a big, brawny, young man of Hawaiian heritage, and he must have been new on the force because he did not appear to recognize Danny.

"I'm sorry sir," the policeman apologized with sincere regret, his kind, composed, black eyes looking sternly into those of the other man. "But this part of the building is closed off..."

Danny didn't wait for the man to finish, or start to give him the lecture on regulations. Danny wasn't just another citizen who was nosy and wanted to know what had happened; he was a trained detective, and the sooner he proved that to this man, the better. In one swift movement, the blonde had torn out his badge and handed it to the slightly surprised policeman. "Danny Williams, Five-O." he declared, overbearing impatience pushing some harshness into his tone. "Where's the room?" Danny asked, trying his hardest to speak in a calm voice and look the man straight in the eye with complete equanimity. But nevertheless, the panic and unease easily seeped into his voice and melted any false serenity in his dramatic irises.

The police-man looked back at Danny with astonishment and confusion for a little while, before finally reaching out and taking the black leather wallet containing the insignia of Five-O. His astute eyes suspiciously scanned over the badge for a few seconds, and then turned to look at Danny to compare him with the likeness on the emblem. The young man gazed back at him piercingly, with unblinking eyes that masterfully, although thinly, disguised the harrowing anxiety, impatience, and desperation lodged deep within them.

The stealthy fingers of silence clung greedily to the air as the seconds drifted by one after another. The policeman was either very doubtful about Danny, or he just wanted to make trouble for somebody, _or_ he was just trying to be extra careful. But whatever the circumstance, Danny honestly didn't have time for any of them. His restless and tremulous spirit would not grant him any more delays. He had to know the truth before he lost all sanity left to him, and cracked down on his overwhelming emotions.

Finally, Danny's forbearance wore thin. He had been as patient as he could be at a time like this. How could he stand here motionless while the fate of his reality was in the balance? The truth was just within his grasp, and he would not be forestalled anymore.

Danny was just about to order the man aside when an alleviating turn of events occurred. The policeman finally seemed convinced of Danny's identity, and after examining the picture and the young blonde's face one last time, he saluted and handed the badge back. "Down that hallway, sir," he replied with newborn respect, a small hint of embarrassment shadowing his simple features. "Third door on the left."

On any other occasion, Danny would have smiled back and offered the newbie a word of encouragement. But for some reason, he could not find any warmth or compassion left in his heart. He barely had the strength and hope to keep his own soul going; how could he give optimism to another when he hardly held any himself? As soon as Danny had the go-ahead and the information in his ears, he swept past the policeman with little more then a curt nod of his head, and raced towards the hallway that would decide the destiny of his future. The truth was about to crack wide open.


	6. The Truth

CHAPTER 6

The next order of events happened so fast, Danny could barely even recall them later. Everything was hazy around him and the whole atmosphere felt almost dreamlike. It was as if he was in a daze… nothing and everything seemed illusory at the same time. He had just begun to run down the hall; shadows hung in the corners like cob-webs and very little light penetrated the deepening dimness that enveloped it. A glass door was at the very end of the hallway, and Danny could vaguely see an immense field covered in green grass just beyond it. That must have been where the blind children played after school. The young man's volatile silhouette danced against the gray flooring in the fading light, skipping over baseboards and racing over the closed doors of unnervingly silent rooms.

The blonde flashed past the first door, and then the second; his lungs were burning now from his quick gasping and all of the rooms seemed to be reeling… _Up, down. Up, down._ His burnished brown dress-shoes clacked against the hard floor and echoed throughout the gloomy building. He could see the third door on the left was open a crack, and the voices within were growing louder as he drew nearer. Danny's heart beat faster and faster and his frightened eyes grew ever wider with every step he took. The third door was only a yard away; _just one more step_ and then all of his unanswered questions would have their response. The young cop took in one last breath and held it; and then, at last, he reached the third door.

Danny didn't know what happened in that next instant. He rushed into the doorway, convincing himself that he was ready for the worst. But when he entered the room, the control over his emotions was viciously ripped from his grasp and he let out a scream and drew back. There, lying on the floor before him without vitality, was Jane. _His Jane._ Even all of the gory, gritty, macabre things Danny had ever seen as a cop, could not compare with what his eyes rested upon now. Of all the murders, assaults, and crime the young man had constantly looked on, this was the worst. The shock struck Danny hard and his clammy palms fumbled frenetically to grip the entryway for immediate support; for if he had not fallen upon something at that moment, he would have surely hit the ground.

Jane's face was hidden from him, pressed against the cold plaster ground. An overturned money-basket rested beside her corpse, coins and various dollar bills scattered around it. Jane's silk-like brown hair was tousled, and her hands were sprawled lifelessly at her sides. One bare, ashen heel rose partially from her delicate pink shoe, revealing the footwear's brand name. The rosy skin-tone she had once possessed had suddenly become as white as snow; it was as if the very same chilled earth she lay upon had seeped into her body and robbed it of all heat. Jane was so still… _so still._ The rim of her once spotless pink dress was smeared with scarlet makeup and on her leg, written in lipstick so red it could have been blood was,

 _With wounded wing, or bleeding breast,_

 _Ah! Where shall either victim find rest?_

Danny's eyes were now fully wide with disbelief, abhorrence, and anguish. He shook his head madly in frenzied rejection, and seized the doorway more tightly for sheer want of control over himself. The hot tears suddenly streaked down his face, scorching the tender skin beneath them. Danny tried to hold back another pitiful scream, but he just couldn't. How could he restrain himself when the corpse of his fiancée was laid out in front of him, _murdered?_

" _No! No! Jane!"_ his pale, trembling lips managed to shape the words as he looked upon that unmoving woman slumped upon the ground. But even though the pain was exceedingly great when he gazed upon it, Danny could not pull his crying eyes away from that precious body.

 _She's dead. My Jane is dead…_ It had only taken one minute, _one minute_ for the whole reality of Danny's life to be irreversibly altered forever.

Steve was kneeling beside the limp carcass with water in his own eyes, when his friend had unexpectedly rushed in. His grim face was hidden behind his hand, and his lips were pressed in a firm line. But the tears that filled Steve's eyes differed from Danny's because they were cold and glacial. They were the tears of hopeless defeat and persecuting regret. Tears of a failed responsibility and a soul shrieking with guilt.

When Steve had walked in earlier and saw Jane's body, his own had gone numb with pain and inexpressible shame. The murder of Linda Marsh had already been a dagger into his heart, but Jane, the girlfriend of his best friend? The dagger seemed to heat up and twist deeper into the head of Five-O's core. And Steve blamed himself for this certain killing mercilessly, making the wound all the worse. He _should have_ prevented this, he _could have_ saved her.

McGarrett wasn't one to cry; he was usually calm and collected, even in the most gruesome and terrifying of situations. But this circumstance was different. It was very personal and it touched a fragile spot in Steve's character, which resulted in his inwardly beating himself up for this miserable failure, which he believed to be his blunder. By the time Danny ran in, McGarrett's chest was heaving a little with repressed sobs. He did not understand why he hadn't been able to find the culprit of these sick, inhuman murders. Countless times before, McGarrett had been able to put away numerous thieves and killers before they struck another time, yet… yet he hadn't been able to nab this one, and that mistake had cost him dearly; furthermore, it had cost Danny even more dearly. Steve's young friend had lost the very woman he loved, the one that he had been hoping to sometime in the future marry. But now… Steve tightened his jaw and swallowed the lump in his throat. The sickening ball in his gullet seemed to be slowly stifling his air passage, nearly making him gag painfully. He had totally failed Danny, one of the closest friends he had. McGarrett's good police-sense tried to console him and convince him that it wasn't his fault, but the other side of him, the side of the grieving friend and the onlooker said otherwise. God had blessed him with an ingenious mind, so why hadn't he used it harder? He was supposed to be the sharp yet suave, tough-as-nails detective, Stephen McGarrett of Hawaii Five-O. He should have discovered the perpetrator by now. He had saved others, _why not her?_

Steve had barely heard the fast, crazed footsteps of his friend running down the hall as he knelt beside the body entrenched in fathomless thoughts. His mind was whirling like a phosphorous pool; the same accusations against himself crashed into his brain over and over again, stripping all rationality and reason from him. How could he have been so stu …? But then McGarrett's keen ears picked up on the rapid footfalls just outside the door; there was no denying who they belonged to. McGarrett would have known them anywhere. Sudden fear and the desperate urge to protect instantly gripped Steve, and his dark blue eyes spun about to face the door.

 _No!_

But before the word even passed his lips, it was too late. Danny rushed into the room with beads of perspiration veining his face. He then drew back with a heart-wrenching wail of misery as he beheld the morbid sight before him. As he looked upon Danny, Steve's eyes, though startled and red from shedding bitter tears, straight away found unconditional compassion and sustaining love for his second-in-command. He pushed aside all of his own wounding thoughts and feelings, and humbly placed himself at the feet his friend's despair. Steve would be there if Danny needed him; he would share the burden of inexpressible sorrow that now held the blonde momentarily paralyzed. "Danno," the head of Five-O started softly, the pain-filled expression on his face silently communicating to his friend that he understood what he was going through.

Chin and Kono were also there in the room; they were standing by some of the other police and lab people who were going over the scene. Their features appeared to be stern and strictly business-like, but it was clearly apparent that underneath their austere fronts there were fresh scars that were stinging. Yes, they had seen worst crimes than this, but the way this one had been done and the victim it had ensnared… that was the part that hurt the most. It was safe to guess that Jane's back had been facing the murderer when he grabbed her from behind, and began to tighten his grip around her throat. The killer was cowardly, too cowardly to show his very own face to her… There were no mirrors in the room, no mirrors to reflect his ghastly crime back into his own eyes. No one had heard anything, and there wasn't a single strand of evidence as of yet. He had left nothing behind him, this fiend, only a lifeless corpse with crimson lipstick scribbled on her leg. It was perfectly disgusting and it enraged Chin and Kono greatly. Anger sputtered in the watery black fathoms of the two men's eyes, fiery sparks occasionally finding their way onto their irises' surfaces. No other case had quite been as injuring or cruel as this one. Chin and Kono didn't need to wonder about what this would do to Danny; _they already knew._ Both of them honestly doubted that he would be able to cope with it, and they feared that this incident would break him down so terribly that he could never find himself again. They had seen it happen before to even stronger men, and that fact alone increased their worries.

The Chinese man let out a small gasp and the Hawaiian's mouth dropped a little when Danny rushed in, and they were together unpleasantly astonished. As soon as they saw the expression on his face, it broke their hearts right in two. Chin and Kono turned to look at their colleague solemnly, their eyes brimming with tears and pity afresh. _We're sorry, Danny. We're so sorry._

Danny looked back and forth from Steve, Chin, and Kono. His broad, teary, and intense blue eyes flickered with terror and unbelief and he swayed unsteadily by the door-way. When his eyes met with Steve's for the second time, he shook his head slowly, his gray lips beginning to quiver. _No._

Steve felt his whole being ache with empathy for his friend, and his face paled as melancholy flooded into it. A surge of new water made his eyes throb and obscured the figure of his friend. But McGarrett only wiped them away and stood to his feet. He had to get to Danny. The young man was in an unsound state and he was nearly teetering off the verge of a nervous break-down. At any given moment, he could just lose it; Steve had to get to him before that happened.

McGarrett took a careful step forward towards Danny, making sure to keep unwavering eye-contact with him. "Danno," he began again, his voice more of a plea than a command to be still and not do anything fatally impulsive.

Danny stared back at Steve wordlessly, numbness beginning to set into his glazed eyes. This could be read as a good sign; Danny was slowly accepting the truth and the reality of the situation. His nerves were not vibrating as badly as before, and his mind was beginning to comprehend what was going on. Reason was slowly but surely settling back into the young man's mind after the tremendous shock, just as sediments settle back onto the ocean floor after being whipped up in a great disturbance. He was getting it back together, bit by bit.


	7. Broken Dreams

CHAPTER 7

Danny was still for a little while longer, before he turned once more to gaze upon his adored Jane. Though he willed her to move, and turn, and look at him, she did not stir. Her motionless body lay as dead and cold as a stone, and her fingers had already begun to grow heavy as they stiffened. There was no doubt about it now, she was _dead._

Danny had taken in the sight as long as he could bear it. His spiritless eyes suddenly grew vivid again with renewed torment, and he let out a tear-jerking cry before fleeing from the room. He had to escape from that scene… that vile, piteous scene that had completely crushed his soul and torn his hope and happiness away from him. He couldn't look anymore, _he just couldn't._ He'd run anywhere, _anywhere_ , as long as it was away from that room.

As Danny wrenched away from the entrance and raced down the hallway, blinded by tears of torturous anguish, he could hear Steve's frantic voice screaming out his name… and Chin and Kono pleading after him with great fright, but he didn't turn back. The voices of his friends soon grew louder as one by one they ran out of the room to pursue him, their dress-shoes slapping deafeningly against the ground. But Danny didn't let them catch up with him. He dashed down the dark, seemingly threatening hallway towards the dim golden-orange light at the end, which was blurred by his countless tears. He felt as if the walls were closing in on him, ready to swallow him up into the heartless blackness that was enveloping them. These terrifying thoughts exacerbated Danny's grief-stricken frenzy all the more, and his throat constricted. The dry air was throttling him yet again, and making his lungs refuse anymore oxygen. The adrenaline was being pumped out from Danny's core harder and harder, giving him more feverish energy. However, it also began to steal his verve from him and wear him down. He continued to run… _and run, and run._ No matter if everything twisted and turned around him, no matter if he felt like he was going to collapse and crumple up on the ground in sheer desolation. He wouldn't think about it and just kept running. _Keep running on._

Even when Danny burst out of the back door that led to the vast field behind the building where the children played, he still didn't stop fleeing. He kept running until his remaining strength yielded, and his legs gave way beneath him.

Danny fell to his knees, panting madly as the sweat rolled down his face. The concerned cries and hurried footfalls of his friends had faded, and only an unclear echo of them lingered. Danny was alone; alone with his scourging sorrow and pain. With a broken heart, the young man raised his face towards the last light of the sun, perhaps trying to find some hope and consolation in these darkest of hours. But alas, he had just come at the moment when the brightest star in the sky sank below the distant horizon. The last of its warm rays tenderly touched a few curls of his sandy hair before it finally slipped away, surrendering the day to the night. Virulent darkness came over the land, just as it came over Danny's heart. All remaining cheerful luminance was choked out of the world, making it feel hostile and void. Or perhaps it was Danny's spirit that was void, void of any warmness or sensation. Right now he was beyond any comfort or healing. All he had was his pain, and that was the _only_ thing left to him.

 _Pain._ Pain had forced itself upon his being. It was like a steel thorn being driven down, down into the very center of his emotions. The blows were deadly, and they rendered him helpless as they thrust this injurious thorn deeper and deeper into his defenseless soul. The second light of his life, after his faith in Christ, had just sunken out of the sphere of his existence. In but a few hours, something he had never even dreamed to be possible had just occurred. _A few hours._ That's all it had taken to send Danny's world into the smoldering flames of ruin. The young cop let out another piercing cry of agony; it rent the firmament and sent it quavering from the force of its emotional strength. Danny then looked up at the rising stars of heaven with eyes that stung with more moisture than ever before.

" _God, oh God!_ ' he screamed in delirious despair, though his throat burned from the strenuous use of his vocal cords. " _Why did you take her? Why did you take my Jane?!"_ Danny continued to shriek in utter wretchedness, and he tore at the grass viciously with his bare hands. He didn't care if the dirt and the tiny rocks dug under his fingernails, or that he wallowed in the smutty mud and the heavy humidity. He was frenetically flailing to find some sort of relief from the raging emotions flaming in his breast, but it was all for nothing. No solace could be found for him no matter what he did. The water gathering in Danny's eyes had become so plentiful at that moment, that it left him sightless. Everything was distorted into large globs and shapes of blackness. The darkness enclosing around him, had suddenly became terrorizing and oppressive. Even the familiar shapes of the palm trees and the far-away sound of the waves lapping against the sand were not comforting. The familiar itself was not comforting.

Danny let out one last frightened, discordant cry before his heart shattered into a thousand pieces. The trenchant shards were flung throughout his hurting soul, piercing it everywhere until it seemed to bleed. The young cop then fell from all thoughts, and he threw himself to the ground overwhelmed. The scalding tears continued to sear his eyes, and his chest heaved up and down with relentless sobs.

" _Jane… My Jane…"_ Danny wept, pressing his face into the filthy dirt. Every time he said her name, the memories came flowing back through his mind like an unending stream. The sad moments, the happy moments, the silly moments, the affectionate moments… it all came back in rapid flashes of vibrant images. He could see her face perfectly now, and her smile, and her eyes.

 _Oh her eyes…_ Those beautiful, dazzling, turquoise drops of teal rain that surpassed any human description possible; always filled with such love and care and patience… Never once turning to look on her own needs, only those of others. But those priceless jewels were now lost to Danny. At that very minute they were still, blank, and dim. It was undeniably definite that they would never look at Danny with devotion and love again; at least not until he himself saw heaven's light. Danny let out a muted whine, curled into a fetal position as if to protect himself from the damaging reminisces that assailed his vulnerable mind, and cried harder. He would never see Jane on this earth again… _at least not alive._ His _past_ was gone, his _present_ was dead, and his _future_ was lost.

" _Jane…"_

The name left Danny's lips as a low, breathless whisper at first, but then it became a shrill moan of distress. It resounded through the thick, muggy air of the cloudless night, and then rolled off into nothingness. Danny finally stopped fighting the overpowering pain, and surrendered to it wholly. He lay in the soil unmoving, and it even looked as if he had ceased to breathe.

But suddenly, in the midst of his despondency, Danny heard muffled footsteps approaching. There were voices too; voices that were anxious and significantly afraid… they were calling his name. Danny knew that the footsteps and the fearful calls belonged to Steve, and Kono, and Chin. They were worried about him and they were looking for him; But it didn't really matter to Danny if they found him or not. They had probably come to try to offer him some comfort, to console his lonely, aching core… but no matter what they did, they couldn't. No one but God could heal Danny's cracked heart and fractured spirit now. _No one._ The youngest member of Five-O continued to lie still upon the dirt, his light blue eyes blank and watery. He softly persisted to repeat the name of the priceless heart that had once held his own, even if he only whispered it and sobbed it.

 _"Daniel! Daniel, where are you?!"_

 _"Danny!"_

 _"Danno!"_

The outlines of three men walking stood out against the cavernous blackness of the evening, as they cupped their hands over their mouths and called out Danny's name. By their tones of voice, anyone could tell that they were deeply troubled. Every few feet they would stop and call out into the nearby expanse, all the while turning about and avidly observing the landscape around them for any sign of their friend.

Chin and Kono searched the perimeter for yet another time, and then looked back at each other with discouraged eyes. Where was Danny? Why wasn't he answering them? Although the Chinese man and the Hawaiian were thoroughly and earnestly searching the land, Steve was the one who found Danny. At first he thought his second-in-command was just a bump on the ground. But when he drew nearer, Steve could hear hushed whimpers coming from the motionless form crumpled in the dirt.

" _Danny!_ " Steve exclaimed, his intense sapphire eyes brimming with active concern and alarm as they snapped around to fix their startled gaze upon Danny. The body on the ground did not move; nor did it perform any motion to indicate that Danny had heard or even acknowledged Steve's presence. Unspoken dread from the very fathoms of his worst fears surfaced onto McGarrett's scared expression, and he bolted towards his grieving friend. He wasn't sure if Chin and Kono had seen him run in the direction of Danny's feeble weeping, but he didn't wait to find out. His best friend was lying on the ground, apparently immobile. Being a police-officer, McGarrett's mind began to consider all of the explanations for Danny's posture, as well as starting to speculate about the worst case scenario. Danny had either fallen while he was running, or he had collapsed on the ground from lack of hope and vigor, _or_ he had shot himself in a crazed fit of unbearable sadness. Steve seriously doubted the last of his conjectures, but his cop-brain was always used to expecting the worst. Danny was not a brash or impetuous young man; during most of their cases, he kept a cool head and maintained a level composure. But this case now involved his murdered fiancée. Did not that fact alone give him the cause to act without thinking? Although these thoughts were all together disturbing, McGarrett didn't stop to dwell on them. He wanted to find out for himself as soon as possible, rather than just stand around and make presumptions.

Steve reached Danny in but a few more seconds. Upon his arrival, the head of Five-O slowed to a walk, so as not to startle the young man before him. He was also relieved to see that his second-in-command was indeed still breathing, even if it was in short, raspy wheezes that were between sobs. At first, it was hard for Steve to believe that the writhing form on the soil was Danny. The shivering frame didn't look at all like the youthful cop McGarrett had formerly known. The face was stained with dirt and white streaks left behind by innumerable tears, the azure eyes glossy with horror and woe. The sounds that came from the younger man's lips were not even discernible, but for the recurring name, _Jane._ But even if Steve could not make out the words, he understood their message well. They were the syllables sorrow tried to find, to stifle the pain of loss and express the wounds of the heart that was breaking. The soul wanted help and encouragement, but the mind wanted to bury the gashes, the angst, and the hurt, and swathe itself in the shadows of solitude.

Moisture bathed McGarrett's arid, mournful eyes, and a tear on the brim of his eyelid soundlessly dripped down and slid off his cheek. He remembered just that morning, when he had thought about how Danny retained his innocence despite all of the sickening things he had laid his eyes on. But Steve knew then, beyond a doubt, that Danny's innocence had just been taken from him. After this, he would never be able to recover his positive view of the world… it was tainted now, with the innocent blood of Jane. The tears multiplied and the resentment at himself built up in McGarrett's breast as he looked upon that wretched picture of grief. How it made his blood run cold within him, but made his heart burn as if it was aflame. The many feelings running through the head of Five-O's center were hard to express all at once. Could they even be expressed?

Steve slowly drew near to Danny, empathy and understanding melting his serious features with every step. Once he reached his friend, he eased himself to his knees beside him without a sound. McGarrett then took a moment to look at his friend; to _really_ look at him and see the damage that he adamantly believed he had partially been responsible for. Even if it didn't show in his face, the closer look at Danny nearly crippled Steve inside and made him feel worse. His friend wouldn't even turn to look at him; he just remained curled in a little protective ball, making sure to keep his face buried in his hands. Steve stared back at Danny with wet, ruthful eyes, and his pallid lips parted to allow him to speak. But the words stuck in his throat, and he did not have the strength nor the will to say them. And anyway, what good what it do? Steve's forlorn thoughts returned to the day when his nephew had died; Danny had tried to offer him support, but it had not had any affect on his numb spirit. Words were so inadequate during times like these. _"I'm so sorry",_ or _"May she rest in peace,_ " or " _She's in a better place."_ Those words did have meaning, but they had always sounded so empty to McGarrett. And they were _empty._ The intention behind them was beautiful and sincere, but the words themselves had come to be void of meaning; words that held no real comfort. For what can you say when a life has been torn from the world? What can you say to the person who treasured that life most? Abundant apologies and even the most powerful of words were pointless at such times. The raw grief could not be separated from a person instantaneously. It would take time, a great amount of time. The best thing Steve could do now was to let Danny know he was there for him; that he wasn't wallowing alone in this unendurable melancholy.


	8. Comfort

CHAPTER 8

McGarrett was true to his in-depth thought processes. With many, though soundless tears coming down his own face, the elder man wordlessly took the trembling frame of the younger in his arms and held it close to him. Danny continued to vent his agony and did not respond to the gesture immediately, but Steve didn't really expect him to. McGarrett understood that he wasn't the one who needed to know Danny was there, it was Danny who needed to know _he_ was there. Steve hugged Danny closer to him, and gently rocked him in his arms. His deep, watery blue eyes then rose to the dim sky and he uttered a silent prayer. _Bring him healing, God. Please, bring him healing._ Suddenly, whilst Steve was voicelessly communicating these last words to his Creator, he felt Danny's quivering palm weakly grip his own. He was bleakly glad of the fact that his second-in-command was responding to him in his own way, yet… Danny's hand was so cold. McGarrett felt as if he held a soft pile of fresh, icy snowflakes in his two hands. They were wan and a deathly gray color, and they held no heat. More profound pity and care burned in Steve's glistening irises and he clasped Danny's frozen palms in his, attempting to thaw them. But though they took warmth from his own, they did not retain that heat. They only continued to take more and more and toss it away, until there was none left. Soon, both men's hands were frigidly cold.

Unexpectedly thereafter, Chin and Kono appeared out of the thick, black shadows and ran over to their boss. It was true that they had heard Steve's sudden and surprising holler of, _Danny!,_ and both of them had turned instantly towards the sound. But McGarrett did not call out at all afterward, and the Chinese man and the Hawaiian had to grope and struggle through the darkness with squinted eyes to find him. It took them a little while though to get a sense of direction in the massive blanket of night, for the lights of the moon and the stars were sallow and thin in the sky. Their rays were barely enough to illuminate a small path through the broadening blackness.

The two men eventually did reach Steve and Danny though. Upon their arrival, both of them slowed down without a noise to take in the pitiable scene. Their faces were streaked with small, dried tears of their own, and they wore true expressions of sincere sorrow and rapport. Steve looked back at them with emotionless eyes that still shed clear tears, all the while keeping Danny enfolded in his arms.

Chin's face was especially filled with great dolefulness and mercy when he saw the state that Danny was in. He looked back at Steve in silent, dismal understanding for a moment, before he also went to his knees beside his friend. He would try to offer Danny as much consolation as his heart could pour out. Chin then looked down at Danny with kindness and care, and rested his pudgy hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.

"I'm so sorry, Danny," he murmured regretfully, his voice but a whisper choked by emotion. " _I'm so sorry._ "

Kono, who stood a little ways behind Chin and watched all of this play out before him, pressed his lips together and bowed his head. His eyes glimmered dully in the morose darkness and he took a long breath of the seemingly dead air. In actual fact, he was unsure of what to say to the hurting spirit that now wept before him. The big Hawaiian had not known such misery as this before, so he could not know how to offer the necessary comfort for it. What could he say to relieve the unhappiness? He didn't even quite understand it… and if he didn't understand it, how could he be of any help? Kono pondered these things deep within his mind for a long while before finally deciding on a course of action. He didn't have to risk the chance of saying something brainless to Danny; all he had to do was show him that it was okay, that he was there to be a friend and support him, no matter what. A small smile formed around Kono's lips as he remembered the word, _brudda._ Over the months, it had come to hold a higher meaning then just friends to the Five-O team. It meant sacrificial commitment to them; being there for each other when times got ruff, laughing with each other when times were good, crying with each other when the worst befell them, persevering with each other to the very end. That's what it meant, what it _truly_ meant.

After standing motionless for many moments, Kono finally knelt beside Chin and stared at Danny through determined, though tear-filled eyes that spoke more than any words ever could. However, the emotions did not need syllables to sound out their meaning; they came from the very depths of Kono's large Hawaiian heart. But if these profound feelings were to be interpreted, I believe they would translate: _We're here for you, we love you. We've gone through much together, and we'll go through it again together. When you are weak, when you cannot stand, you can fall on us and God. We're here for you. No matter what happens. We'll **always**_ _be here for you._

Danny felt some of the heavy burden of grief fall away when his friends came to his side. Especially when Steve had first come, and simply cradled him in his arms and held him close. It was just like Steve; no words, just rapid action to address the situation. The wonderful thing was too, that Danny could actually feel his own spirit addressing Steve's. He knew his friend had also suffered the losses of many people close to him, and he really did understand all too well how the pain felt and what it did to a man. At that exact moment, Danny thanked God fervently for the amazing friend and employer he had. They both shared a very special bond of friendship; one that would never be broken.

Danny had felt alone and scared when he had initially come onto this large acre of flat land. The void oblivion of darkness was swiftly coming upon him, but his smashed hopes held him fast against the ground, preventing him from finding any escape from it. The shadows had just begun to encircle him and the woe was just about to take him, when Steve had come. Suddenly the blackness wasn't so intimidating; he wasn't by himself anymore. Now, Danny felt safer in his friend's arms… he just sort of knew then, that everything was going to be okay. It was as if the senior man was trying to shelter him from the pain of the reality.

And when Chin had come, he had offered new hope and courage to Danny, even if it was just in the form of a squeeze of his hand. The Chinese man was there for him, and that's what really counted. And Kono too; even if he did not speak any words, the gentleness and unfailing love in his dark Hawaiian eyes, which were full of meaning, showed just how much he cared. He noiselessly communicated to Danny that there was still good left in the world, that there was still the promise of tomorrow. He resolutely confirmed that the Five-O team would be there for him, now and for always. Danny knew all of this, even if was too ashamed to look into the eyes of any of his friends because of the several tears in his own. _He could feel it._ But though his friends' reassurances were inexpressibly appreciated, it could not mend the maimed heart within Danny. When his Jane had died, a small part of him had died with her… a special part of him that he knew he would never be able to recover it again.

The seemingly unending gloom deepened, and the four men were engulfed in the hushed eeriness of the newborn night. The silence was deafening. Everything was disturbingly quiet, but for the soft puling that whined through Danny's parched lips. In only but a few hours, his whole life had been utterly turned upside down. He was a wreck now, a disorganized wreck desperately clinging onto the last strands of his saneness. One of the souls he held closest to his own had just suddenly and callously been torn from his life… She was gone… Jane was gone. _Gone._ Her smile, her eyes, her tender touch. _Gone._ The once emotive love that had raced through Danny's veins, now transformed into lethal poison in his blood. Rapidly, minute after minute, it was killing every single one of the young man's hopes, and leaving him with tormenting thoughts. How those thoughts aggrieved his mind! They were _mocking_ him, _blaming_ him, _hurting_ him!

Suddenly, Steve felt Danny seize his arm in a wild spasm of terror, and he felt his friend begin to quake even more violently than before. Disquiet and worry pooled in McGarrett's piercing indigo eyes, and he wrapped his arms tighter around the shuddering frame.

"What is it, Danny?" he asked gently, though anxiety still pressed hard in his voice.

But Danny didn't even answer. His watery, luminescent eyes only grew wider with some unmentioned dread and he shook all the more furiously.

" _Jane?"_ his bloodless lips spoke the name, and it come out in a high-pitched voice that was saturated in terror. The young man cowered back against McGarrett's supporting build, and opened his mouth as if to scream. But no words left his esophagus.

One last cruel blow had been dealt to Danny's spirit, which had already been sliced and mutilated from the image of his Jane lying on the ground dead and the reoccurring memories of happier times. The assumptions had begun to pile up in the blonde's brain, and the taunting and dangerous question of, _"What if…?"_ had just taken shape in the damaged sphere of his mind.

When Jane had… when the very oxygen was being robbed from her, when those filthy fingers had clasped around her throat, had she looked for him? When she had fought powerlessly with all she was against those stiff muscles that held her fast, had she thought of him? Had she really expected him to save her, even as she let out her last choked gurgle? _Had she begged for him to come to her aid, even if she knew he was miles away and couldn't hear?_ **_Did she scream his name?_**

But even if she had cried, there were none to save her; none to answer her frantic though muffled pleas for help. _No one._ None had come to her rescue. She had died alone, and only in the presence of her killer…

 _Her killer._ The bitter anguish of Danny's heart died away for a moment, and his core began to pulsate with boiling rage. That… that _animal_ was roaming free somewhere… Danny could almost see his unknown enemy's fiery, scornful eyes and hear his sardonic laughter. He was probably pleased with himself, pleased with what he had done to this female he didn't even know. He thought he was on top of the world, and that the cops would never find him. But that was where he was absolutely _wrong._ Danny _would_ find him and make him suffer, just as he had made others suffer. The blonde wouldn't care if this killer, this beast, would plea for his mercy… He'd strike him again and again **_and again_** _!_ Until the very blood ran down his face! But even if Danny felt this way in that short lapse of time, his judiciousness had not completely abandoned him. He was a cop, and a cop couldn't do things like that. A cop had to keep his cool, no matter what happened, and he had to see that justice was ruled out fairly.

 _Justice._ Yes, perhaps this man would see justice. But he would not die, even if he had killed others; they didn't have the death penalty in Hawaii. He would unquestionably be sentenced to life in prison, but still, there was no guarantee he would stay there. What if he had lots of money, or played the perfect saint in prison? One way or another he would suffer very little punishment, or eventually attain parole. One day he would possibly walk free, whilst the two women he had killed laid stone-cold in their graves. One last translucent tear ran down Danny's face, and he dug his nails so deep into his skin that he caused himself to bleed. Perhaps it was because of the injustice of it all. Perhaps it was to punish himself for what had happened to Jane; even if it was something he did not do and something he did not have any control over. If only he hadn't broken his lunch-date with her… if only he had given up that one hour to be with her, maybe things could have been different. The young cop knew better than to do this to himself, it would only make things worse. Yet, he couldn't seem to help it. He had to blame someone for this… Better him than God. God always knew what He was doing. He never caused bad things to happen to people; they happened because the world is full of sin. He didn't enjoy watching His children wading in agony, but nevertheless, He used any circumstance, be it bad or good, for their _ultimate_ good.


	9. Sweet Blackness

**_Wow... I know that was a lot to read! But it's all finished now. ;D I just want to thank all of my readers for keeping updated with this story and I hope all of you enjoyed it a lot! And I would like to thank_ LadyMoonSilver, JeanBlythe, Book'EmAgain, _and_ TheKingReigns _for their positive reviews. Mahalo Nui Loa, both of you!_**

 ** _However, if any more of you do want to leave a review, I ask that it be mainly centered on the story(constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!). I have received reviews on this story and others, which have nothing to do with the story or how to make it better. To put it plainly, they are rude and irrelevant comments about my profile, my beliefs as a Christian, and my beliefs about homosexuality and lesbianism. They are completely inappropriate in respect to making me a better writer, and they are disrespectful to me as another writer and human being. Frequently these reviews are guests, who do not even have the courage to post their real name. I ask you please to stop attacking me for speaking the truth. I'm only repeating what God says in His word; if you have a problem with that, please go to God about it and ask Him. He made the laws, not me._**

 ** _Well, that's all. Thanks again to all you readers out there. You're the ones who keep me going ;) Speaking of which, I have had a lot of people who have asked me to turn "I Didn't Want To," (another Five-O fanfiction of mine) into a full-blown story. Well, I'm doing it. I hope to update that soon and start yet another adventure with smiles, tears, emotions, and friendship all the way through it._**

 ** _Mahalo to all of you,_**

 _ **Stephen McGarrett 5-0**  
_

* * *

CHAPTER 9

The wrath abruptly dissolved, leaving Danny with his last feeling of emotion. _Hopelessness._ He had a dismal path ahead of him, a hard road that he would prefer not to take. Even though it promised healing, it also promised tears and harmful emotional wounds along the way. It would take him a very long time to recover from this and even when he did, he would never go back to the way he was. Suddenly, his distracted eyes had been jerked into focus, and now he saw the world for what it really was. Yes, there were many good things upon the earth, but there were also bad things too. Unfortunately, it was blatantly accurate that the bad outweighed the good. Maybe if Danny had realized that sooner, he wouldn't have let his optimism carry him up so high; and if he hadn't been so confident, perhaps his fall from bliss wouldn't have been so devastating.

Danny let out one last weak whimper of sheer fatigue, before burying his face deeper in Steve's chest. The last of his sobs subsided, his ceaseless trembling finally stopped, and his breathing evened out again. However, McGarrett still hugged him close, even though the young man's endless flow of tears soaked his white dress-shirt and beige tie. Steve knew Danny was not yet ready to let him go. The blonde still needed support for his whole body had been completely drained of its fortitude. The shock of everything had truly taken its toll on him. Steve let out a long sigh, gently rested his chin on Danny's head, and whispered something to him soothingly. _Everything's going to be fine, Danno. Everything's going to be fine. I'm here._

The younger cop seemed comforted by this gesture, and he clung closer to his boss and friend. _Hold me closer… I'm afraid._

Love and understanding, as well as commitment enveloped Steve's teary eyes and he tightened his protective grip around Danny. He was determined to sacrifice all of his own hope and strength to his friend, even if it left him wounded and feeble and hurting. No matter what, he would not let go; at least not until Danny had regained enough of his own resilience to pull forward.

McGarrett comprehended Danny's feelings very well; the regrets of yesterday, the depression of today, the fear of tomorrow. It saddened him that he hadn't let Danny be there for him like this, when the same rain of woe had beaten down upon him. Perhaps he wouldn't have felt so friendless in his misfortune... Yet, Steve was the kind of person that bore the pain on his shoulders alone, but for the help of God. He never really shared his personal feelings with anyone, except for Danny, and that was only on specific occasions. But then the head of Five-O began to wonder. Perhaps Danny had tried to follow in his footsteps… maybe he had tried to be like him. Perhaps that was why Danny had run out of the building; so he could deal with the hurt all alone, even if he knew he couldn't handle it. Steve, on the other hand, could always bear the tough situations by himself. Even if it really stung sometimes, he could still endure it. His years in the Navy and the many hard things he had witnessed in his life, had certainly equipped him with this endurance. But Danny couldn't undergo that kind of suffering without any help; he just wasn't like that. He needed aid and he needed it badly.

Sorrow and terror seeped right into McGarrett's features, but he thanked God for the cover of darkness that veiled his expression. He never wanted Danny to become like he was; only dependant on himself and God. He didn't want that for his friend. Yes, he wanted him to rely on God, but also on others. Steve hoped Danny would go to someone when he was hurting; it was definitely better then trying to deal with it on his own. But maybe it was McGarrett's own examples that had influenced Danny in this way. Steve's eyes became even more troubled and he tilted his face more towards the shadows. _Oh God, no. Please, please never let Danny think that he has to bear it all by himself. Please._

A cold current of air swept over the landscape, abruptly changing the humid atmosphere. Steve silently held Danny closer to him, shielding him from the sudden spate of arctic wind.

Chin and Kono were also still kneeling by the youngest member of Five-O, offering him what solace they could. They did not speak or apologize anymore; they only crouched in the grubby dirt beside Danny, making sure he could feel them near. If this was indeed the only way to bring relief to their friend's pain, then they would willingly do it.

A few more minutes past in creepily serene soundlessness. The chilly air was still blowing through the atmosphere, but it made not a sound. Its unusually wintry fingers touched everything. It did not matter if Steve tried to shelter Danny from it, the breeze still managed to find its way onto the young man's cheek, which was moist from salty water. But it seemed not to affect him, or maybe he hadn't even felt it all. The strain on Danny's nerves had become almost unbearable now, even if he had calmed down considerably and knew that he was secure in Steve's arms. He suddenly felt very tired, and he couldn't seem to keep his eyes focused. He knew sweet sleep would wrap her alluring arms around him soon, and he wasn't going to refuse. Slumber would mean a total blackout of his senses; he wouldn't be able to feel anything. Danny wanted that respite now more than anything else, and he was thankful when his mind began to dull. Exhaustion, sadness, and pain had worn him down to the very last, and now he could not even find the strength to stand. But before the shadows took Danny, a few, last, despondent thoughts wafted across his mind. He just couldn't understand how everything could have changed so quickly… How his _life_ could have changed so quickly. He had only seen Jane a few hours before and yet… and yet now, she was actually dead. Danny closed his eyes, took in a thin, stressed breath, and then exhaled.

 _How could such things be?_ He thought to himself as the blackness closed in around him. How could his whole world suddenly fall apart into complete disarray? What would tomorrow bring? _How could he even go on tomorrow?_ Yes, God would be there to help him… but how would he heal? After his Jane was gone, how could he ever be the same again? _How?_

 _Oh, Jane… why must I have eyes to see you're not there?_

Danny let out one final sob before his eyelids fell shut at last, and he collapsed limply in Steve's arms. The tiny, faint stars above him faded from his sight, as well as the friends beside him. His only companion now, was the sudden darkness that had taken him. It was just as Danny had thought it to be; the feeling that came over him was one of reprieve. The pain actually did stop, reality ended for a moment, and he went absolutely and beautifully numb.

As Danny crossed the border over into restful oblivion, he wondered what it would be like to simply melt into the blackness and awake in another place. The place where there wasn't any crime, or pain, or fear… where his Savior waited for him with open arms. If only he could leave this world behind him, and follow where his beloved Jane had gone…

In that one desperate split-second between reality and unconsciousness, Danny wished that when he closed his eyes, he would never open them again.

* * *

 ** _The End_**


End file.
